J2 What's Next
by miss37
Summary: This story is a sequel to J1 Mid Life. Still another old CSINY story that I decided to republish.
1. Chapter 1

**What's Next? **

It had been three weeks. That was how long it took him to get over that sprained ankle he got when he was almost killed by a crooked cop. They had a wreck out on a dark road because a deer ran out in front of them. The guy had thought he would take him out there, kill him, and leave him and no one would ever find him. He supposed that deer had saved his life. He was glad they did not hit it. He had trekked through a marsh and finally came face to face with his attacker and then was found by Don Flack and Danny Messer…

Today, Mac Taylor was about to go on that vacation he had promised himself. He had come to Los Angeles where he was about to purchase a sailboat. He was standing looking at the boat at the moment on this hot June morning. He was about to make himself a big debt. What else did he have to spend money on? He sighed. He could always sell it if he got tired of making the payments. He went on out to the boat. "Hello!" he called before he boarded.

An old man came from the cabin of the boat. "Hello!" he said cheerfully. "Come aboard!"

Mac climbed onto the boat and shook the man's hand. "Mac Taylor," he said as the man was shaking his hand vigorously.

"George Brown. Nice to meet you. So, you want to purchase a boat."

"Yes, sir."

"You know anything about sailing?"

"Yes, I was in the Marines."

"Oh, I was Navy myself! Was in Nam! Can't hear too good from all those cannons I fired aboard ship!"

Mac thought he must not hear very well because he talked loud. "So, you and your wife are going to sail the ocean blue?" the man asked.

Mac frowned. "No, I don't have a wife," he said. "She died."

"Oh, so you're an old bachelor like me. I know the feeling. My wife died when I was in my forties but I just couldn't love anyone else."

Mac stared at him. "Yep," George continued. "I just sailed the world by myself and now I'm old and alone." He looked at Mac. "Is that what you're planning to do?"

Mac looked down. "I don't know," he said. "I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do."

"Better not wait too much longer. You'll wake up one day and realize you're a lonely old man."

Mac sighed. "So, how old is the boat?"

"Oh, this one is about ten years old. I'm getting a bigger one."

Mac was surprised by that. He wondered what he needed a bigger one for. "Oh, I have grandchildren," George said as he took out his wallet. "My wife and I did have two children, but they're always busy. Now, I have three grandsons who want to go sailing with me sometimes during the summer so I need a bigger boat. I guess I'm not so lonely anymore. You got any kids?"

Mac shook his head. He did not even have that to look forward to. Although, Reed still contacted him sometimes. Reed had gotten married and moved away from New York, but he visited once in a while. Mac hoped Reed would have children and make a good life for himself.

George showed Mac pictures of his three grandsons. "Good boys," he said. "And wow, are they tall!"

Mac smiled. "Well, is there anything wrong with the boat?"

"Are you kidding? I'm a Navy man. I won't let my boat go down."

Mac nodded. "So, it's well-kept."

"Yes, sir. Treated like a baby."

Mac could tell the boat had been cared for. He looked through the boat and found that it was just what he needed. It had one bed in it and a kitchen so he could do what he needed to do. Of course there was no stove, but it had a microwave because there was electricity. He supposed he could bring microwave meals with him. After all, there was a freezer in the boat. "I'll be back tomorrow," he said. "I have to get the loan in order."

George shook his hand again. "I'll see you then," he said.

Mac turned to walk away. "Young man, don't do like me and stay alone," George said.

Mac did not turn around. He just went on off the boat. He knew George was right and he was speaking from experience, but he did not want to listen. Besides, George had nothing to say. He had not married again. Mac could not see himself getting married again. He certainly could not see himself becoming a father now. He did not want to become a father at his age. He would probably never see his grandchildren, and besides he did not know if he had the patience to raise a child now anyway.

Mac went on down the pier to his red Corvette. He had gotten plenty of looks from women with this car. Today he was wearing white pants and a Hawaiian-style shirt. He supposed he looked the part of driving this car today. He had driven all the way across the country. After all, he had not been sure he would purchase the boat and if he backed out, he wanted to have his car there to drive back in. He supposed he could have taken a flight over here, but he would have to put his car into storage anyway. However, his sister lived in L.A., so he could leave it with her until he came back. He had already asked her about that. She was glad to hear from him. He supposed he did keep to himself too much. He had a brother and a sister and he hardly ever talked to them. They both had families. His sister had a child that he had never even seen. He supposed that was the way it was when two people lived on opposite sides of the country and were too busy to make the trip across. He would have to go over to his sister's house before he went on his trip because he would have to leave the car there. She was going to let him put it in her garage.

As Mac was driving, he was thinking about the trip he was about to make. He supposed he could have gone on a cruise. He could have met women there. Instead he was going on a lonely trip to Hawaii. But so what? He did not have to get married again, and he did not have to hunt a woman if he did not want to. He did not know why everyone thought it was their business how he lived. Maybe if he smiled more people would not think he was sad…he did not feel like smiling a lot. He felt depressed a lot. He had to admit they were right, but he would not admit it to them. He just wanted everyone to butt out and let him make his own decisions. At least he would not have to put up with Jo for a while and her flirtatious ways. He wondered if all Southern women were like that. Maybe he would have to go down there and see. He might find one that could tie him down. He had not spent much time in the South. He had been stationed at Pensacola, Florida when he was in the Marines and in Camp LeJeune, but he had been in love with Claire then and had not been hunting.

Maybe he would sail out to Hawaii and then sail all the way around South America and over to the other side of the United States. How long would that take? He thought he might be an old man by the time he did that. He chuckled at himself. He would just go on his sailing trip and then go driving to the South. He had heard there were a lot of friendly people down there. Maybe one of those women could slow him down. He smiled. Maybe that was just what he wanted…to be trapped. He supposed he would have to get willing to be trapped first. Was he willing? He thought he might get willing if he found the right woman.

Mac went to the bank. He used a chain bank, so there was one here in L.A. too. He went into the bank and told the loan officer that he wanted to purchase a sailboat. They drew up the papers and got everything in order. He told Mac he could pick up his check in the morning. Mac went out to his car and drove out to Beverly Hills where his sister lived. She was a lawyer and she had a big house. Her husband was a lawyer as well. They had four children and Mac had not seen the last one. He drove up to the house, which was made of brown stone. Mac had always liked houses like that. The stones looked like part of the environment, much different than brick. He pulled into the driveway and just sat there a moment. Would he ever have anything of his own? He supposed he was going to have to stop thinking like that, but that run-in he had with that guy on that rooftop before had thrown him for a loop.

Mac got out and walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. He had only been in this house a few times. He soon heard someone unlocking the door. A young girl who had a strong resemblance to his sister opened the door. She smiled when she saw him. "Uncle Mac!" she exclaimed and jumped into his arms for a hug.

"Hi," Mac said. "You certainly have grown."

Jessica put her hands on her hips. "You noticed?" she asked.

"Of course."

"Come on!"

Jessica grabbed Mac's hand and pulled him into the house. "Mom! Uncle Mac is here!" she yelled.

Mac smiled. Young people got excited over things. Just then, he heard something and realized someone was coming down the stairs. Actually, it was two someones… his other niece and his nephew. They came to give him a hug too. "You need to shave," Julie, the youngest one said.

Mac smiled. "I know," he replied. He looked at his nephew, who was about sixteen now. "Looks like someone else will be needing a shave soon too."

Matthew smiled. "Yeah," he said proudly.

Jessica rolled her eyes. "You're kidding, right?" she asked. "He thinks he has a mustache."

Mac chuckled. "Well, it takes time to work it into one," he said.

"He thinks he's a man."

"So what," Matthew said. "You think you're a woman."

"I am," Jessica said. "I'm seventeen."

Mac almost rolled his eyes at that. He thought she had a lot to learn. He supposed everyone had a lot to learn, including himself. "So, where is your mother?" he asked.

"She's upstairs," Julie said. She was about 7 years old.

Mac wondered how they had skipped that far before having more children. The youngest was five years old now. He remembered her name was Amy. "She'll be down soon," Jessica said. "She's getting Amy dressed. She made a big mess and got dirty."

"Oh," Mac said.

"Come on over here and sit down," Jessica said. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Yes, please," Mac replied.

"Lemonade?"

"That will do fine."

"Be right back."

Mac looked at Jessica's long, dark hair. It reminded him of when he and his sister, Martha, were young. She always wore her hair long like that, all the way down to her thighs. Jessica had hers in a braid. He thought hair like that must get hot during the summer. Julie was wearing her blond hair in a braid too. She sat down beside Mac and looked up at him with big blue eyes, much like Martha's. "You're going on a sail boat?" Julie asked.

"Yes," Mac replied.

"Are you going a long way?"

"Pretty far."

"Are you going to take food with you?"

"Yes."

"Don't ask silly questions," Matthew said. "You know he will have to take food."

Mac looked at him. "It's not a silly question," he said.

"Don't encourage her or you'll be sitting here all day answering questions."

Mac smiled. "Curious, huh?"

"Like you wouldn't believe."

Matthew stared at Mac a moment. "Why are you going off like that?" he asked. "Won't you be lonely out there?"

"I just want to get off by myself," Mac said.

"He always liked being by himself," someone said.

Mac looked around to see Martha at the bottom of the stairs. She put her hands on her hips. "Mac Taylor, you're running off again," she said. "First you ran off with the Marines and now you're running off with a sailboat."

Mac smiled and stood up. "Well, I could have gone on a cruise," he said.

"That would have been better. At least you might have met a woman that way."

They hugged each other. "It's good to see you," Martha said.

"Good to see you too," Mac replied.

"You were lucky that I'm off this week."

"Yes, I was."

"Okay, kids, Uncle Mac and I have to do some talking," Martha said. "You guys can go and get in the pool a while."

"Yay!" Julie exclaimed.

"Come on," Matthew said as they headed upstairs.

Jessica came back with the lemonade. "Here you go," she said.

Mac took a glass. "Thank you."

Martha got a glass too. "Come on, Mac," she said.

Mac followed her out onto the patio. He knew he was going to hear the same thing he always heard. They walked out to a lawn table and chairs that were out past the pool under a big Oak tree. There was a swing tied to a big limb in the tree. They sat down at the table. Mac sipped his lemonade. "This is good," he said.

Martha nodded and just stared at Mac a moment. "Mac, how long are you going to torture yourself like you do?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"You know what I mean. When are you going to find someone and get married again?"

"Maybe I don't want to. Stop trying to live my life for me."

"I'm not, but you need to find someone and be happy, Mac. I know you loved Claire, but she's gone and I don't think she would want you to be lonely like this."

"How do you know? You think she would want me to marry someone else?"

"Yes. Since she can't be here, I'm sure she would want you to be happy. Now, you're going on a lonely sailing trip by yourself. Mac, that's not good for you."

"How do you know?"

"Because no one needs to be lonely." Martha took a book from her pocket. "I have a lot of friends that would be interested in meeting you."

Mac leaned back in the chair with a sigh. "Don't start trying to fix me up," he said. "You know how that always works out."

"I just want my brother to be happy and have someone to love."

"Stop worrying about me. It looks to me like you have plenty to worry about without occupying yourself with me."

"Oh, Mac! You're my brother. I care about you! Why don't you want anyone to care about you?"

Mac looked out across the yard. It was decorated with flowerbeds and with sculpted trees and even a fountain besides the pool. "I know you care about me," he said. "I care about you too, but just don't worry about me so much."

"I can't help it. I was only eight when you ran off with the Marines. I never got to know you very well."

"You had Boyd."

"I know, but you're my brother too."

Mac frowned. "I'm sorry."

Martha laughed. "You take everything the wrong way," she said.

Mac looked at her. "What do you mean?"

"I didn't mean for you to apologize. You did what you wanted to do then. Now, you just seem to walk around doing what you think you 'have' to do."

Just then, they heard a commotion. Mac looked to see the kids coming from the house and landed in the pool. He smiled. Even the 5 year old jumped in. "I guess they have a little of their uncle in them," Martha said. "They swim like fish. Matthew even talks about joining the Marines."

"It's not a bad life," Mac said.

"I didn't say it was, but I don't want him to be like you."

Mac frowned. "What do you mean? I have a good job."

"That's all you have."

Mac stood up. "We have to have this argument every time I come over here. I guess that's why I don't come very often. It's not my fault that I don't have anything!"

Martha stood up and walked closer to Mac. "You won't let anyone close to you!"

"I tried that!" Mac turned and walked away toward the swing. He sat down in it and stared out into the forest. It reminded him of being lost in those woods. However, this forest was well-kept and had no undergrowth, and besides that, it was mostly maple trees and oak trees.

Martha sat down beside him and leaned on his shoulder. "I want you to be happy," she said.

Mac thought she was the only one in the world who could make him want to cry his eyes out. He took a deep breath and blew it out. "I've lost myself," he said. "I'm going on this trip so maybe I can find myself again."

"Well, if Mac Taylor is out there somewhere, I want you to bring him back with you."

Mac rolled his eyes. "Funny," he said. "I don't want you worrying about me. You have all those kids to take care of."

"I have room for you in my heart too, Mac. You were there first, you know."

Mac frowned. "I remember when you were born. I was ten."

"Yeah. My big brother. A girl needs her big brother even when she's married and has kids."

Mac put his arm around her. "I know," he said. "A big brother needs his sister too."

"Are you sure you want to go on that lonely trip? You could just stay here."

"And let you try to fix me up on a blind date?"

"Of course."

They both laughed. "I need this trip, Martha," Mac said. "I have to find myself again."

"Don't stay out there too long. You can always come back here."

"I know, but I don't want to go on any blind dates."

"Oh, Mac. Can't you have a little fun?"

Mac shook his head. "I tried that too," he said. "I don't think I want to get into anymore situations. Just stop worrying about me."

"What kind of situation have you been in?" Martha asked curiously.

"Never mind. Just stop worrying about me. I'm alright."

"No you're not. You just want everyone to think nothing bothers you."

Mac looked out into the forest again. She knew him pretty well. He did want everyone to think nothing bothered him. He did not want to admit weakness…or that was what he thought it was. He did not see it as weakness when one of his team was bothered by something. He supposed a person saw themselves different than they did anyone else. He thought he had to be the strong one. Was it so 'strong' to carry everything around and never let anyone in? To never show emotion? He was not so sure. Maybe he would find something while he was out there on the ocean. He would have time…and he would let himself go…he had to…


	2. Chapter 2

That evening, Mac stayed with his sister. Her two youngest kids were hyper at bedtime, but she finally got them to bed. "So, where is Jeff?" Mac asked.

"He's gone to Texas for a case," Martha answered as she was covering Amy up.

They walked back downstairs and sat in the living room. Martha turned the TV on. "I love it when I get a chance to watch my shows," she said. "It's usually after everyone is in bed."

Mac smiled. "The only time it's quiet?"

"Yes." Martha took a deep breath and leaned back on the soft couch. Then she flipped the TV to her show. "I hope you like Bones."

Mac looked at her. "I see the real thing," he remarked. "But I guess I can endure it this once."

"It's a good show."

Mac yawned. "I have an early day tomorrow," he said.

"Are you sure you want to go off like that?"

"Yes. I'm getting the boat in the morning and I'm setting off the next day."

"So, I have another day to nag you."

"I guess so."

Martha had an idea. She had told her friends about her brother already. She would invite them over so they could meet him without his knowing they were coming. She would have them there after he got back from purchasing the boat. Mac stared at her a moment, noticing the silence. "What have you got up your sleeve?" he asked. "I can see you're scheming something."

Martha pretended to be shocked. "Well, I never," she said. "Don't accuse me of trying to scheme anything."

"You are, though. I can see your brain working."

Martha gave him a tolerant look. "Be quiet," she said. "You don't know anything."

Mac smiled. "Hey, I always knew when you were up to something."

"Yes, and you were always trying to get me into trouble."

Mac laughed. "You deserved to be in trouble. You remember that time you poured all the flour out to pretend your dolls were walking in snow?"

"Oh, you would bring that up. You were no better. I think you were just mother's pet. Always running off into the woods or something, going skinny dipping."

Mac became serious as he thought about being lost in those woods. Martha noticed he was quiet and looked at him. "What happened, Brother?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "I don't really want to talk about it. It's embarrassing."

"Mac, everyone has done things they were ashamed of, but you can't change the past, you just have to go on."

"Yeah, I know, but I don't think this is going away for a long time."

"Why don't you tell me about it?"

Mac leaned back and sighed. "I was after a suspect and we wound up on a rooftop and we fought. He got the best of me and took my weapon. If it hadn't jammed, I wouldn't be sitting here and you wouldn't be worried about me going on this cruise alone."

Martha stared at him a moment. "Mac, that is terrible," she said. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't like to talk about it and think about it."

Martha put her arm around him and leaned on his shoulder. She hated the thought of being called that her brother was dead. "So, what did you do?" she asked.

"When the gun jammed, I grabbed him and got it back and then Danny and Don came out there." Mac shifted in his chair. "They didn't know how I was trembling inside."

"And you didn't tell them?"

"Of course not." Mac frowned and stared at the floor. "After that, I bought that Corvette and went driving out into the countryside. I stopped in this small town to play tennis and met this woman and we spent the day together and went to the carnival…" Mac blew out a breath.

"And…" Martha prompted.

"Well, the next day, she was found murdered and there it was that I had been with her and I was a suspect because there were my fingerprints and DNA. I didn't tell anybody and we found out that she was a…" Mac shifted in his seat again. "I really don't want to tell you all this."

"Yes you do."

Mac looked at her. "I didn't know she was a prostitute, but I should have known."

"Mac, you can't know everything."

"She was blackmailing men and I almost became one of her prey. But she had a diary…"

Martha turned the TV off. "It's just a rerun anyway," she said. "I would rather hear what you have to say. You've been through too much. You need to get away from all that."

"Why do you think I'm going on this cruise?"

"Mac, you don't need to be alone."

"Yes, I do. I have to let myself go and I can't do that in front of other people."

"Why not?"

"Martha, you know why."

"Mac, you've always thought you had to act like nothing bothered you."

Mac frowned. "I feel like a raging volcano on the inside and I have to explode. I don't want to be around anyone."

"You're afraid you'll look weak?"

"I know it's not weakness, but I just don't like breaking down in front of other people."

"The big, strong Marine."

Mac looked at her. "Well, you have to learn to control your emotions you know, or you wouldn't be much good on a battle field," he said.

"You're not on a battlefield now, Mac, except inside."

"I fight my own battles."

"You don't have to. You have me, and you have Boyd too."

"I know that."

Martha kissed him on the cheek. "Don't keep everything to yourself," she said. "We know you loved Claire."

Mac bit his lip to keep tears from coming. "She was my whole world." He stood up. "Well, I guess I better go to bed so I can get up and get this business done in the morning."

Martha stood up and hugged him. "I love you, Brother."

Mac swallowed hard as he hugged her. "I love you too, Sister."

Mac turned and hurried up the stairs. He went into his room and closed the door. He leaned on the door and stared up at the ceiling. He did not want to break down here, but he did not know how much longer he could hold it back. He knew how Martha was. She liked to help people with their problems. He supposed that was why she was a lawyer.

Mac went over to his suitcase and opened it. He got a clean t-shirt and PJ's and went into the bathroom. He would just take a long bath. He had promised himself that he would take a long bath too. He had not done that yet. This bathroom had one of those vanity tubs. He remembered that Martha always liked a big tub. She and her husband had designed this house themselves. He turned the water on and stared out the window. He wondered what he would do if he designed his own house. What did he need one for if he had no one to share it with? He shook his head and got undressed and sat down in the almost too hot, water. He closed his eyes and his mind started to drift to all the things that pressed on him all the time. This was why he buried himself in his job; he did not like to think. Being busy kept his mind occupied. That was why he did not sleep much; he got trapped in dreams. He would get out on that ocean so no one could hear him but the whales and sharks and they did not care…or they did not know how to care…

The next morning, Mac awoke after a tumultuous night with little sleep and more than his share of dreams. He sat on the side of the bed. He did not feel at all rested. He wanted to get out of here and go on his cruise. He got dressed in a red shirt and khakis and sandals. He did not want to wear shoes today. It was supposed to be another very warm day. When he was dressed, he went downstairs. He heard something in the kitchen and went in there to find Jessica in the kitchen.

"Morning, Uncle Mac," Jessica said with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"

Mac did not want to answer that question. "You're up early," he said.

"I'm always up early. I like to get up and have a long day."

"I smell coffee."

"Yes. Do you want a cup?"

"Absolutely. I have to get going early this morning."

"Trying to beat the morning rush?"

Mac smiled. "I think I've already waited too late for that."

"Probably. Are you leaving today?"

"No. I'm leaving tomorrow morning. I have to get the deal made on the boat today."

"Can I go with you?"

Mac looked at her a moment. "Go with me where?" he asked.

"To make the deal."

"Oh. Sure. I don't see why not."

"Great! I'll get our breakfast ready and then we'll go. Right?"

"Sure. It's been a while since I had a good breakfast, I guess."

"I love to cook."

Mac smiled. "Good. I'm sure your mother appreciates that. She always hated it."

"Yeah, I guess I took after Dad with this."

"You look a lot like your mother when she was young."

Jessica smiled. "Thanks."

Mac sat down at the table and rubbed his eyes and yawned. He had to admit he enjoyed being here around his family. He knew they loved him. He stared at the table. He remembered being on the rooftop again and staring into the barrel of that gun. That guy tried to pull that trigger more than once. The only thing that saved him was that the bullet got stuck in the barrel. He had not put a bullet in the barrel before so when the guy pulled the trigger without cocking the gun first, it jammed. Mac knew he was lucky that the guy had not thought of that himself. He had walked around in a daze for a while after that. He thought he had been in a daze when he bought that car and when he met Carla. He didn't know what he was going to do. He had made it through those woods trying to get away from Detective Moffett who wanted to kill him because he was one of Carla's notches too. Mac had not known that until Moffett told him. Then they had gone through that marsh and it was so dark out there Mac was reminded of trekking through woods when he was in Beirut. He remembered how his nerves were buzzing all the time because they did not know when a bullet would find them or when a grenade would find them. He remembered watching people die and seeing maimed bodies and body parts. He remembered being injured. When he came back from that war, he married Claire, but she had to put up with a lot from him when he had his nightmares. He had woke up in cold sweats and screaming, but she had always understood and helped him get back to sleep.

"Mac!"

Mac looked up to see Martha standing at the table in front of him with her hands on her hips. "Where were you just now?" she asked.

Mac realized he had been zoned out again. He had been doing that a lot lately. "I'm sorry," he said.

"Mac, are you sure you're okay?"

Mac nodded. "Yeah, I just have a lot on my mind."

Martha touched his face. "You need to have some fun," she said.

Mac frowned. "I already tried that," he said.

"My dear, sweet brother, you looked in the wrong place."

"Where is the right place?"

"Well, it certainly isn't out in the middle of the ocean on a sailboat."

"How do you know?"

"Because you need companionship."

"You don't know what I need."

"I think you have been lonely long enough. I don't think what you need is more loneliness."

"It's not up to you."

Jessica brought Mac a cup of coffee. "There you go," she said.

"Thanks," Mac said and sipped the coffee. "Very good."

Jessica smiled. "I'm glad you like it."

Martha sat down across from Mac. Mac leaned on the table and sipped his coffee again. "Martha, I don't need companionship right now unless I find it somewhere," he said.

"I don't like you moping around and being depressed," Martha said. "You're much too sweet for that."

"Sweet?"

"Yes. Isn't that what Claire used to tell you?"

Mac looked down at his coffee cup. "Yes."

"She called you 'Darling'. I thought that was so sweet and she always said you were the sweetest, most gentle man she had ever met."

Mac frowned. "But she's gone," he said.

"I know and I don't think she would like you sitting here being depressed like this."

"What if I had died? What do you think she would do?"

"What would you 'want' her to do?"

Mac looked at her. "I'd want her to be happy," he said.

"And I think she would want the same thing for you," Martha replied.

"Maybe I will be someday."

"Not if you don't try to be."

"Martha, I don't want to have this conversation anymore."

"I know."

Jessica soon had the breakfast ready and they ate. All the children were down there this time. Mac looked at Amy. He thought she looked even more like Martha than Jessica did. He remembered thinking that Reed favored Claire. He supposed he would never have anyone who favored him except his brother and sister and he supposed maybe his nieces and nephews might favor him a little.

When they were done eating, Mac left to get his deal done on the boat, and Jessica went with him. "Wow, I love this car, Uncle Mac," Jessica said when they got into the Corvette. "Can I drive it while you're gone?"

Mac looked at her. "I don't think so," he said. "I don't think a seventeen year old needs a Corvette."

"Oh, come on. I would be extra careful."

Mac smiled. "I didn't need a car like this when I was seventeen," he said.

"So, why do you have one now?"

Mac considered that. "I don't know. I just wanted one…and I paid for it."

"So, you think I shouldn't have a car like this until I can pay for it?"

"Something like that…and you can pay the insurance?"

Jessica smiled. "You could let me crank it for you every day," she said.

"It doesn't need to be cranked every day," Mac replied. "Only about every other day."

"You'll let me do it?"

"Now, I didn't say that. If I did that, you would accidentally put it in gear and drive downtown so all your friends could see you."

Jessica laughed. "This car is great!"

"I know, and it had a great price."

Mac finally reached the bank and they went inside. "Good morning, Mister Taylor," the loan officer said. "I have your check ready."

"Great," Mac replied.

"We just have to sign some more documents." The man looked at Jessica. "And who is this young lady?"

"This is my niece, Jessica."

"Nice to meet you."

Jessica smiled and shook the man's hand. They all went into the office and sat down. Mac could not help but feel nervous about signing all these papers. After all, buying a boat was not cheap, although this one was used and was not as expensive as a new one. He signed all the papers and got the check. "Nice doing business with you," the banker said.

"Thanks," Mac replied.

Mac and Jessica went out to the car. "So, where is your boat?" she asked.

"It's down at the Marina," Mac replied. "It takes about an hour to get down there."

Mac cranked the car and got onto the road again. "So, what is it like living in New York?" Jessica asked.

"Well, it's a big city," Mac said. "Probably not much different than here."

"I think there are more people there."

"There are, but not by much. And there are no mountains there."

"I love the mountains."

"Me too. Maybe I will go to the Himalayas and climb Mount Everest or go to Alaska and climb Mount McKinley."

Jessica stared at him a moment. "You would really do that?" she asked.

Mac realized she was shocked. "Probably not," he said. "I'm just talking."

"What 'are' you going to do?"

Mac thought a moment. "I don't know yet," he said. "I'm going to sail to Hawaii. I haven't seen Hawaii in a long time."

"I've never seen it."

"Don't worry. Some guy will come along one day and carry you over there."

Jessica smiled. "You really think I'll find a husband?"

Mac was surprised by that question. "Of course you will. You're a pretty girl." He looked at her. "Now, don't sit there and tell me that no one has ever told you that you were pretty."

Jessica's smile brightened. "Yes, they have, but it's different coming from you."

"Why?" Mac asked.

"Because you're my uncle."

Mac considered that. "Why is that different?"

"I don't know. It just is."

"Okay."

"I guess you have seen a lot of pretty women."

Mac nodded. "Yes, I would have to say I have."

"Then you must know something about beauty."

Mac chuckled. "I wouldn't say I know a lot about it."

"More than Matthew."

Mac laughed. "Why would you say that? Everyone has a different viewpoint as to what beauty is."

"I think his is different than anyone else in the world."

"Why?"

"I don't like his girlfriends."

"Oh. Well sisters hardly ever like their brother's girlfriends."

"Really? Mother didn't like yours?"

"No. I think you think that one of them is going to take your brother away from you."

Jessica folded her arms. "Maybe," she said.

Mac stopped at a red light. "So, how was school last year?" he asked.

"Great," Jessica answered. "I'll be a senior next year."

"So, you'll be in charge."

"Absolutely."

"Ready for the world."

Jessica looked at him. "Are you making fun of me?" she asked.

"No. I know what it's like to be a senior though. Just be careful."

"I will."

When they got to the Marina, Jessica was flabbergasted by the boat. "That is so awesome!" she exclaimed. "Wow! You're really going out on the ocean on that?"

"Yes," Mac replied. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Can I go with you?"

Mac was surprised. "No, you can't go with me," he said.

"Why not, Uncle Mac?"

"Because I don't know how long I'll be gone and I want to be alone."

Jessica sighed. "The boat is beautiful."

Mac looked at the boat. It had a black, shiny bottom and white cabin with two tall sails. Mac wondered what was on those sails. They were not completely white. He could see a little blue on them but they had some red too. He wondered if it had a military symbol on it. He had not seen the sails unfurled. He walked over to the boat. "Hello!" he called.

"Hey!" he heard George call from the cabin. "Come aboard!"

Mac and Jessica climbed aboard the boat. George came from the cabin. "I guess you have a check for me," he said.

"Yes, I do," Mac replied and took the check from his wallet. He gave the check to George.

George looked at the check. "Yep, that's the right amount," he said. He shook Mac's hand. "Hope you enjoy her. You can give her a new name. She was named after my late wife."

Mac nodded. "Nice to meet you, young lady," George said as he looked at Jessica.

"This is my niece," Mac said.

"Well, you have a pleasant voyage and take care of her."

"I will."

They signed the papers for the transfer of ownership, and George left. He would have to have them registered later. Mac went into the cabin of the boat. "Wow," Jessica said as she walked in. "This is almost like being in an apartment."

"All the comforts of home…almost," Mac said.

"Yeah, especially when you're alone."

"I can't take you with me. Besides, your mother would never allow that."

"You wouldn't let me go if I was twenty-five."

"You're right."

Jessica laughed. "You're so funny sometimes."

"Good," Mac said. "I have to work on this thing for a while and get it ready to go tomorrow."

"I'll help."

"I have to get it cleaned up and then stock it…although it looks spotless. I always like to clean things."

"So does Mom."

"So, let's go get some cleaning products and some food for me." Mac opened the refrigerator to make sure it was running. "Well, it's good and cold in there. I am going to take some microwave meals with me and some fruit and stuff like that."

"Uncle Mac, what if you don't have enough stuff?" Jessica asked.

"I will," Mac replied. "I'm going to make sure of that."

"You won't have a TV?"

"No, but I'll have my laptop. I think I can pick up wireless out there…maybe. Stop worrying about me being alone. I've been alone for almost ten years."

"Not alone like that."

"I hope you never know what it's like to be truly alone."

"Uncle Mac, you've always had us. You chose to be alone."

Mac considered that. "I suppose I did, but I didn't want to just leave my job."

"You could have done that here."

"I didn't want to move here."

"Why?"

"I just didn't. Let's get to the store and get the stuff I need."

They went to Mac's car and went to the grocery store. Mac went to the cleaning products aisle. He picked out everything he wanted there and then went on to get food. "Uncle Mac, are you sure you can live on this kind of food for days?" Jessica asked as they were looking at the microwave meals.

"I can if I get a variety," Mac replied. He picked out a bunch of the meals and then they went through a few more aisles.

"This is like stocking a house," Jessica remarked.

"Sorta," Mac agreed.

When they were done shopping, they went back to the boat. Mac put all the cold items in the fridge and freezer and everything else away. Then they cleaned the living areas. "That ought to do it," Mac said when they were done.

Jessica looked at the living area. "Well, I guess it suits a single person," she said.

"I guess it does."

They went back out to Mac's car and headed back to the house, but he stopped and registered the boat first. When they arrived at Martha's house, there were more cars there. Mac pulled his car into the garage. He wondered who was here. He and Jessica went in to find that Martha had a bunch of her friends over. Mac stopped at the door. He knew what Martha was doing. She was trying to fix him up. "Mac, you're back!" Martha exclaimed and came over to him. She grabbed his arm and pulled him over to her friends.

Mac reluctantly went with her, although he knew she was trying to set him up. "I want you to meet some of my friends," Martha said.

Mac looked at the four women who were sitting at the dining table. They all smiled at him. "Hi," they all said at the same time.

"Hi," Mac replied.

"Mac, this is Lacy, Renee, Susan and Laura," Martha said.

They all stood up and shook Mac's hand. "Nice to meet you," he said trying to be nice. "If you'll excuse me, I have some things to do upstairs. I wouldn't want to disturb your party."

"Oh, you're not disturbing us," Renee said. She smiled at Mac.

Mac swallowed. "Well, I need to get some things done before I set sail in the morning," he said.

"Surely you can take a little break."

Renee had light blue eyes and had her light brown hair back in a French braid. Mac wanted to just turn and go upstairs, but he did not want to be rude. "I guess I can take a small one," he said.

Jessica folded her arms and stared at her mother. She could not believe she was embarrassing Mac like that. Martha noticed it. She sent Jessica out of the room with a gesture. Jessica left the room and went upstairs. Martha sat down at the table. "Mac, I've been telling them about your job," she said.

"Yes, must be exciting," Renee said.

"Well, it's challenging," Mac replied.

"What's it like to face danger?"

Mac did not want to answer that question. He looked at his watch. "Well, I have a lot to do to get ready for my voyage," he said. "Sorry, ladies." He got up and left the room. He did not want to be fixed up.

Martha came from the dining room. "Mac!" she said.

Mac stopped and looked at her. "I told you I don't want to be fixed up," he said.

"I thought maybe you would like Renee. Her husband died about five years ago."

Mac stared at her a moment. "I don't want to meet anybody. I have to find myself. I'm sorry." Mac went on up the stairs.

Jessica was in the hall when Mac came up there. "I can't believe Mother did that," she said.

"It's alright," Mac said. "She was just trying to help."

"But that is embarrassing! She should not have done that."

"Don't worry about it."

Mac went on into his room and began packing his things. He took a shower and got his dirty laundry and went down to the laundry room. It was the biggest laundry room he had ever seen. It had folding tables all around it. Mac supposed one needed a laundry room like this with so many in a house. He put his dirty laundry in the washing machine and turned it on. He wanted to take those clothes with him. He looked out the door of the laundry room which led outside. He walked out and looked across the big yard. He walked out toward the forest as he was thinking. He just kept on walking until he was out in the forest. There was a stream out there so he sat down and watched the water flow by. He still felt depressed. Would he always be alone?

Suddenly, Mac heard something behind him. He was on his feet in a second. Renee was coming toward him. "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Mac could not believe Martha would send Renee out here. "I was just thinking," he said.

"Don't worry. Martha did not send me down here. I saw you walking when I was about to leave."

"You were leaving already?"

"Yes. I don't ever have much to say."

Mac sighed. "Well, I was just sitting here." He had wanted some time alone, but he supposed he would have plenty of that on the boat.

"I hear you're about to go on a sailing adventure."

Mac nodded. "Yes, I am. I'm leaving tomorrow."

"Sounds nice. I used to love sailing."

Mac sat back down on the rock he had been sitting on. "Have a seat," he said gesturing to another rock.

Renee sat down across from him. "It's quiet here," she said.

"Yeah. Peaceful."

"I usually try to stay busy because the quiet gives too much time for thinking."

Mac frowned. "Me too."

Renee looked at Mac. "Am I disturbing you?" she asked.

Mac wished she would just go away, but he did not want to be rude. He just stared at the water. Renee knew he did not want her there. "Well, I think I'm going to go on," she said. "It was nice meeting you anyway."

Mac looked at her. "You too," he said.

They stared at each other a moment. "You know, I know what you feel like," Renee said finally. "You think you can never love anyone else. You're afraid if you're happy, you're forgetting her. You feel like you're cheating on her."

Mac looked down. "I do."

"I feel the same way. Where do I go from here?"

"I thought once that I had overcome this but it never went away."

"I know."

Mac looked at her. "I don't like talking about it."

"Me neither," Renee said. "But sometimes I have to. Too much pressure builds up inside."

Mac frowned but he nodded. He had to admit that. That was the reason he was going out on that voyage. He wanted to get away from everything. "Eats at you."

"Makes you feel even lonelier."

Mac stood up. "Well, I have to get back to my laundry. It was nice meeting you."

Mac went back to the house and back into the laundry room. He did not want to talk anymore. It only made him feel worse. He would leave tomorrow and get out there alone so he could sort out his feelings without any disturbances or prying eyes…


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Mac was up at the first light of day. He got all his things together and got his clean clothes from the dryer. Martha came downstairs. "Mac, I'm sorry for yesterday," she said.

"It's alright," Mac replied. "I know you think I need somebody, but I just don't want to get into that right now especially after what happened."

Martha hugged him. "You know when you come back that you can come here and stay as long as you like, right?"

"Yes, I know."

"I love you."

"I love you too.  
Jessica came down the stairs next. She hugged Mac too. "I love you, Uncle Mac," she said.

"I love you too. Take care of yourself."

"I will."

Mac gave the keys to his Corvette to her. "Crank it for me, will you?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

Jessica beamed. "I sure will," she said.

Mac looked at Martha. "I'll be back," he said.

He took his luggage and went out where a cab was waiting for him. When he got to the Marina, he put all his stuff in the boat and went back out on the deck. He looked up at the sails. He had not seen them unfurled yet, but he would soon. He had to get out of the harbor first. He released the boat from the dock one side at a time and then steered the boat away from the pier. There were certain skills one needed to sail a boat. Mac hoped he had not forgotten them all. He had learned a lot in the Marines about sailing and he had learned a lot since then. Claire had loved the ocean and they had gone sailing together before. It was not a long trip like this, but he had loved every minute. He remembered when they had gone skinny dipping out in the middle of the ocean with no one around. He smiled at that thought. He supposed there could have been a few fish who got a view, but no one else.

As Mac got the boat steered out of the harbor, he took a deep breath as he looked out across the ocean. Nothing but blue! It was beautiful. As he got out of the shipping lane, he went out on deck to set sail. He could not wait to see what those sails looked like. He had not painted a name on the boat yet, but he would do that later. He had thought of naming it Claire, but he was not sure about that. He could not think of any other names right now however. He unfurled the sails and discovered that the sails were white, but they had a red stripe and a blue stripe that went around the edges, and there was an American Military symbol in the middle. He liked it. As he tied the sails down, he felt the power of the wind pull the boat forward. He smiled. He was finally on his way. He watched the sails billow out as they caught the wind even more.

Mac went into the cabin and looked at his nautical chart and used the parallel ruler to chart his course. He steered the boat into the right course and let the wind take it on. Since the Pacific High was in the right place right now, it would carry him straight toward Hawaii, but if it moved or if he ran out of it, he would be drifting more than sailing. He went back up on deck and watched as the boat went over the waves and sailed on out into calmer waters. He sat down on the deck chair. He did not have to watch the course all the time. He would check it later. Right now he wanted to enjoy the quiet. The boat would not drift too far off course and he could easily get it back on it. He leaned back and closed his eyes. His mind instantly drifted to everything that was pressing on him. How did his life get in this mess? He supposed he should just be happy the way things were. Some people wished they could have time alone and that they could just pick up and go anywhere they want, when they want and not have to worry about anyone else. He did not enjoy that sometimes though.

Mac stood up and looked across the water. He knew it would take at least 17 days to cross to Hawaii, and it could take longer if the wind shifted. It would be a lonely voyage, but he did not care because he wanted to have time to clear his head. He thought of Claire and how beautiful she was. He had loved her so much. He often wondered if she knew how much he loved her. He supposed he did not tell her enough. He was always busy, but he had brought her flowers every time he could. He thought she must have known that he loved her. He remembered the day she died…a day he had shared with most of the world.

Mac felt his emotions welling up inside him, but he did not hold back this time. He could not hold back anymore. He let tears flow and he screamed to the top of his voice. "Why!" he screamed. He just lay down on the deck. "Why did you have to leave me here alone!?"

As he lay on the deck and sobbed, he remembered being on a Carrier going across the Atlantic and how it rocked on the waves. He turned over on his back and stared up at the sky. He screamed again. He wanted to be free of this turmoil. Then he felt sick and threw up over the side of the boat. He let all his rage and fear come to the fore and beat the deck with his fists. Then he just lay on his back and stared at the sky again. It was very blue this morning, no clouds. The sun was getting hot though. He let himself be rocked to sleep with the waves…

When Mac woke up, he remembered where he was. He thought he felt more at peace now than he did when he first started. He just lay there on the deck. He did not feel happy either. He felt miserable. He did not want to live the rest of his life alone. But what could he do about it? Where would he find someone that he loved and who wanted to take on all his baggage? That's what he had…baggage. He could not change his past and he could not just wish it away. It hung on him like weights. Maybe he would just lie here and drift until he found some land somewhere. He knew there were islands out here in the Pacific that were not inhabited. He wondered how long he could survive on one of them. He supposed he could live on one a long time if he could find food and if there were no wild animals on it and no violent people, but he did not know. He wanted to be alone, but he did not think he wanted to be _that_ alone. He would go on to Hawaii like he planned. Maybe he could have some fun over there…and maybe he would not find any trouble.

Mac finally got up and went back into the cabin to check on his heading. He had drifted a little off course, so he corrected that and then went to the kitchenette. He put a microwave meal into the microwave and turned it on. He was hungry, he supposed, because he threw up. He sat down on the couch in the lounge while he waited for the meal to cook. He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. He had not let himself go like that since…he did not think he ever had. He did not have to worry about anyone talking about it because no one saw it. He did not have to explain anything to anyone.

When his meal was ready, he went out on the deck and sat to eat it. There was a table and chairs on the deck that were bolted down. He sat there and ate while he looked out across the ocean toward his destination. 17 days. He wondered if he would get tired of silence by then. He did not know if he would or not. He was around noise all the time, so it was about time he heard some silence. Anyway, he thought he would probably hear enough noise when he got there to make up for all this silence. He could hear the water around the boat. It was a peaceful sound. He finished eating and threw his tray in the trash. He sat and watched the progress of the boat moving through the water…water, as far as the eye could see. He could see how the horizon curved. He wondered how anyone ever thought the earth was flat. It did not look flat to him. He supposed it might have something to do with where one was standing.

Mac sat and yawned until he got aggravated at himself. He checked his heading and corrected it where it needed to be corrected. Then he lay down on the bed and was asleep almost immediately. As he was drifting off, he thought he might make up for all the sleep he had lost if he kept this up…

When Mac woke up, he looked around him and realized it was dark! He had slept all afternoon. He got up and checked his heading. He was a little off course, but not much. He corrected that and then went out on the deck. When it was dark on the ocean, it was DARK! He had nothing but the stars since there was no moon at the time. He turned the warning lights on so anything coming could see him before it ran him over. It was kinda spooky looking across the ocean at night. One knew that water was out there but it was not blue at night. Mac shivered as it was chilly too. He sailed a while longer and then took the sails down and dropped anchor. He waited until the anchor caught something and then went back into the cabin. He figured since he was out here in the middle of the ocean alone, he did not have to be modest, so he undressed and got into bed. He lay there with his hands behind his head and thought. He sighed as he thought of the reasons he came out here in the first place. He was completely miserable. Martha was right when she said that Claire would not want him to be this way, but when he thought of Claire, his heart felt so heavy and his insides felt cold. He wanted to hold her again and he ached for her, but he knew he could not get her back.

Mac turned over on his side. All he could hear was the water sloshing at the side of the boat and his own breathing. He had brought a boom box with him and some CD's. He would listen to them tomorrow maybe…and he could play it as loudly as he wanted. No one would complain. He wondered if whales would be bothered by music. After all, they sang songs that no one understood but them…and God. Mac thought about God. He had not been to church in a long time. He thought about it every Sunday, but he was usually working. He tried to bury himself in work so he would be surrounded by something to keep his mind occupied. No one he worked with really knew what he went through every time he went to sleep. They wondered why he never went home and slept. Jo was always telling him to go home and get some sleep, but she had no idea what sleep had waiting for him. When he got into deep REM sleep, he was trapped in his memories. He did not want to get into that sleep, but he knew he needed to…that was when the brain recharged itself. He had been asleep here and did not dream, but he knew if he slept enough, the dreams would come, but at least he could go through them out here alone…

Mac stared at the ceiling again. The movement of the boat was about to rock him to sleep. He remembered sleeping on a Navy ship. He had been in that bunk and had even rolled out once. He definitely woke up when he hit the metal deck. Of course, he was laughed to scorn over that, but that was just part of ship life. He also remembered getting seasick. He remembered someone putting a frog in his bunk in boot camp. There was nothing like getting into bed and feeling a cold, wet frog on your foot. Then they had put shaving cream on his face while he was asleep and when the Sergeant came in the next morning…Mac had to laugh at that. He would never forget the chewing he got that morning, even though it was not his fault. He was supposed to be more alert than that. However, it was found out who did it, and they both had to clean the bathroom with a toothbrush. He thought you could really get a bathroom clean with a toothbrush, because it could get into those little areas where big scrubbers could not. Scrubbing with a toothbrush did nothing good for the back though, even when one was young. He laughed as he remembered doing that and then had to go through the training course. He thought he would have knocked his fellow soldier out if he would not have gotten into more trouble. He thought he would die before he got through that after doing all that work. Then again, he knew it had done him good when he got over there in that war. He was flooded by memories of the war. He remembered that explosion at the barracks. He was just lucky that he had been far enough away that he was not burned alive like so many others. He had been thrown…he did not know how many feet. He rubbed the scar on his chest where he had been burned when a hot piece of debris had hit him. He was lucky it had hit him flat or it could have gone through him and killed him. He remembered that pain.

Mac rolled over on his back again. He knew this would come to him if he got out here alone. He wondered if Claire had felt any pain when she died. He remembered how all that rubble looked after that explosion and after the towers collapsed…

Mac sat up. He realized he was sweating. This was why he did not like to sleep. He thought about things and it conflicted his heart. He lay back down and let his memories keep going. They were only in Beirut as peacekeepers, not as aggression to either side. He remembered Desert Storm, the smell of those burning oil fields and explosions, the sound of artillery fire. He could still hear and smell it. He wanted to cover his ears now. That had not been a very long war, but it was enough for him. He had served his country and he retired to spend time with his beloved Claire. He was tired of worrying her while he went on training missions and was gone months at a time. He was glad now that he had taken that time with her. They had cherished every moment. He certainly cherished every moment now. He wished he had done more to cherish it then. His life had collapsed with those towers. He had so many regrets, he was overwhelmed with grief…he had regretted the fact that he had no children with Claire. He had not thought he would be a good father and he was haunted by the war.

Mac sat up again. He was trembling and felt cold. He pulled the covers up further and tried to get warmer. He supposed he could put on something, but he did not want to. He wanted to try and rest, but he knew he would be tossing and turning all night because he always did when he slept…

As he had expected, he had his usual dreams…he dreamed that he saw Claire. She was smiling and happy and then she disappeared in a cloud of ash. Mac sat up screaming and reaching for Claire…

He looked around him and remembered that he was on the boat. He lay back down, hoping that he would not dream that again. He groaned as he could not get images out of his head. He had a tumultuous night of tossing and turning and horrid dreams from his past. He had ran from the dreams for so long and now they were attacking him…

When Mac woke up the next morning, he realized he had slept most of the night, but he had dreams and just did not wake up, he supposed. He stared at the ceiling. The boat was still bobbing on the water. He was anchored and not making any progress right now. He could feel the boat rocking as waves passed by. He had to get up and get the boat moving or he would be out here more than 17 days. He sat up on the side of the bed and stretched and yawned. Then he heard something besides the water sloshing. It was a whooshing sound and then he heard drops of water hit the deck. The boat rocked even more.

Mac gasped. He got up and got into a tank top and shorts and went out on the deck. Just as he had thought, there were whales out there! Mac watched them, hoping they would not come too close to the boat. He watched them a moment and realized they were moving away from the boat. He was glad. If they went under the boat, they could capsize it. He went into the cabin and shoved a meal into the microwave for breakfast. Then he checked his heading. He was definitely going to have to steer the boat back around in the right direction. He smiled as he thought of how the boat could have turned round and round several times during the night. He pulled the anchor up and got the boat headed in the right direction and then put the sails up. The wind billowed them out immediately. Mac smiled at the power of the wind. As he sailed away, he saw a huge tailfin in the air. They were majestic and beautiful, but they were dangerous to a boat if they got too close. He went in, got his breakfast and went back out on the deck to eat it in the morning sun. It already felt pretty humid out there, but the wind was always blowing on the ocean unless one got into the dregs, or "irons" which were impossible to sail in and one had to wait for the right wind. He had been in the "horse latitudes" before, which were at the Equator. There was no wind at the Equator and when one crossed it, they better have a motor. He knew he would not have such good wind on the way back to California, because he might even be heading into the wind.

By the time the fifth day came around, Mac was starting to feel a little lonesome. He turned his CD player on and turned it up loud. He looked in the mirror at the beard he was growing. He had never really grown a beard except when he was pretty young. He supposed all young men grew one then, but he had never thought he looked good with a beard. He thought maybe he would cut it into a goatee and keep that. He was listening to that old song "Ain't No Sunshine When She's Gone". That's what he felt like. Even after all these days of being alone and letting his emotions run away with him, he still felt like that. He wondered if it would ever be different no matter what he did. He remembered that song from when he and Don were looking for that guy in the sewer. He could not help but sympathize with the man, even though he could not condone his actions. He certainly knew what it was like for his wife to be snatched away.

While Mac was eating, he saw a ship in the distance. It looked like a large ship too. He wondered if it was coming that way, but he was sure they could see him already, probably. He got his binoculars and looked at the ship. It looked like a Navy ship. He thought it was probably on its way back to California. It would take a long time for them to pass by him, but he figured he might get some waves from the ship. He finished his meal and went into the cabin again to steer the boat back onto its course…it had drifted slightly.

As the ship got nearer, Mac could tell that it was indeed a Navy ship. He remembered being aboard one of those. They were powerful ships and they made waves. He had to make sure he did not pass too closely or they would capsize his boat…then again, they would not let him pass too closely. If he was getting too close, they would give him a warning. Mac would make sure he did not get a warning. He knew he was not supposed to get too close to that ship. He waved as the ship passed a few yards away. Someone blew the ship's horn at him. It was incredibly loud even that far away.

Mac looked ahead again toward Hawaii. It was a beautiful place. Lush green and beautiful flowers, waterfalls. He supposed all that was in bloom right now. It had been a long time since he had been to Hawaii, but it was still just as gorgeous as ever, with that green water and beautiful beaches. He thought maybe he would lie on one of those beaches until everyone thought he was part of the scenery. Maybe he would become part of the scenery. He did not have to go back to New York. He could resign and go somewhere else. Maybe he would go and work for the FBI. Then he would not have to stay in one place all the time. After all, he had no one to go home to…no one to tie him to New York…

Mac sighed…at least now, he did not have anyone…would he ever? Would he let anyone in? Who would it be? How could he choose anyone? There would never be another Claire…would anyone else understand him? Would they be able to put up with his nightmares and his past? He thought of Aubrey. It had not even worked out with her…and she had even been to that war…What could he expect from anyone else? Then again, he and Aubrey had not really become more than friends…

Mac sat down on the deck and sighed heavily. He stared out at the water. Maybe he should just jump in and see if he could swim to Hawaii. He shook his head at that crazy thought. He could not do that. He lay down on the deck and stared at the sky and let tears flow. Why did his life turn out like this? Did he do something horrible when he was a kid? Was he being punished for some mean thing he did or said? No, he did not think that was the way things worked. Things just happened to some people and there was no explanation, it just happened. He had to remember that he was not the only one who lost someone that day…

Mac wept aloud. No one heard him anyway. Then he went into the cabin and turned his music back on. The CD had ended. He put another in. Too bad all his old CD's were mostly full of love songs. Ironically the one he was hearing now was "Sea of Love". He used to listen to these CD's with Claire of course…but they were not CD's back then. They were LP's…then they were converted to CD's when they were developed. He had seen a lot of things come about in his lifetime. Some things never got old though…like sailboats and old music…He supposed he could have bought a motor powered yacht that could have gotten him to Hawaii much faster, but he did not want to…this boat had a motor if he needed it, but he liked the power of the wind. That motor was only for maneuvering in emergencies anyway.

Mac remembered Claire singing the song "Stop In The Name Of Love". He smiled as he remembered her dancing for him and pretending to sing that song. He lay down on the deck on his stomach now. Why was he listening to this music? It only brought more memories…then again, what was wrong with memories? He loved Claire and he would never want to forget her…but it was so painful…that was why he had tried to work all the time is so he would not have to think about it…

On day ten, Mac thought this voyage was getting long. He had grown quite a thick beard now, but today he was shaving it into a goatee. He was standing in front of the mirror trimming it. He thought maybe he looked pretty good with a goatee. He finished that up and went back out on deck. He had obtained quite a tan on this voyage. He had gone without a shirt part of the time so he would have a solid tan. He was without one today with shorts on. He had finally gotten past some of his grief. He had cried and screamed until he was tired of it. He felt much better now and felt like he had less pressure inside trying to push outward. He thought maybe he could enjoy himself in Hawaii now. He took a deep breath of the salty ocean air. It smelled wonderful today. He smiled. He did not think he would ever feel this free again. He missed Claire, but he would not live in that prison anymore. He was going to enjoy life and he was going to live it outside work too. He would not bury himself in work anymore. He had definitely learned that. He climbed up the mast part of the way and looked across the ocean.

Mac smiled and yelled, "Yaaahoooo!" as loudly as he could. He laughed as he remembered that no one could hear him except maybe some fish. He felt happy today! As a matter of fact, he felt absolutely giddy. He had let his grief go at last! He dropped back to the deck and went inside. He turned on some loud music…but not the blues this time. He had even brought his bass guitar with him. He got it out and began playing to the music on the CD.

Music definitely made him feel freer. He did not have to worry about anyone complaining either. He played loudly and had the music loud too. He danced and enjoyed himself as he played the music. Music was a living thing…and he enjoyed it. He always had. He should have been enjoying it more all this time. He looked across the ocean as he played…he was going to enjoy this vacation! It was not to get away from everything anymore…it was to enjoy himself. When was the last time he did that? He did not know, but that was what he was doing now…

Early on the 17th day of his voyage, Mac could see land in the distance. According to his chart, he should be coming up on the big island of Hawaii. He would start there and then he would go to Maui and the others too. He intended to enjoy himself out here…and he would. He would not let his past consume him again. He was glad he was about to see people again. He had been alone for days…but that had been good for him too. He had let his grief go...and that had been something he could not do in front of other people. He smiled as he neared the island. He could see the beauty from way out here where he was. The water was bluish green and gorgeous. He was rested and ready to roam that island…


	4. Chapter 4

Mac docked his boat at the pier and locked it up. He had already rented the slot at the boat dock, so he had no problems with that. The manager of the dock was there when he started to get off the boat. "Morning," the man said.

"Morning," Mac replied. He got off the boat and started to walk down the pier, but he stumbled, feeling like he was still moving on the boat. "Whoa. I guess I am going to have to get used to walking on ground that's not moving again."

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just a little dizzy."

"How long you been out there?"

"Seventeen days. I came all the way from California."

"That's quite a voyage on wind power."

Mac nodded. "I needed the time though," he said. He finally got himself to stop feeling like he was still on the water…almost. He could walk at least. He signed the contract to keep his boat in the slot. "I don't know how long I will be here."

"Just so long as you pay, you can stay as long as you want," the man replied.

When that was done, Mac went on and got a cab. He wished his Corvette was here, but that was out of the question. He went to a hotel and got a room. He was ready to sleep in a bed on solid ground that was not bobbing up and down on the ocean. He definitely felt more rested now than he had in years. He still had his goatee and he intended to keep it for a while. He took a shower and got dressed in white shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. It was blue and had decorations on it. He wanted to look like he blended in today. He put his shades on and went outside. There was a pool at this hotel. He watched for a while. There were definitely plenty of women around this place.

Mac went on to find a restaurant. He was ready to eat something besides a microwave meal. He looked around him at the restaurants. Some of them were close to the beach, and there was even one in the hotel. He would try that one sometime while he was here, but today, he wanted to be outside. He walked down to one of the open-air restaurants and was greeted by a woman who put a lei around his neck. She showed him to a table and gave him a menu. "What would you like to drink?" she asked.

Mac considered that. He ordered a Hawaiian Mai Tai with no alcohol. He certainly did not want to get buzzed and do something stupid. He shook his head at what he had gotten himself into even without drinking. He thought of Carla. She was a pretty girl. He did not understand why she thought she had to do something like that. He remembered what she had written about him in her diary. He had respected her, but he had to admit, he was thinking about other things because she was trying to tempt him. He was glad he did not give in to that, but he wondered what he would have done if she had not been murdered. He had to have time to think and then that happened…it ruined his whole plan, and now here he was in Hawaii. But that was not a bad thing. He felt happy today and he intended to have fun while he was here. He was going to a Luau. He hoped maybe he would meet someone on this trip. Is that what he came over here for? To meet someone? He supposed Hawaii was a good place for that. There were lots of women around here.

The waitress brought him his drink and he ordered a Hawaiian dish of Mahi-Mahi. It was a good fish. While he waited for his food, he sipped his drink and looked out across the ocean. Even though he had been on it for 17 days, he did not think he could get tired of the ocean. He noticed a woman at another table. She smiled at him. She had long blonde hair and she was wearing a white sundress and shades. Mac almost felt shy. He smiled at her though. She sipped her drink and pulled her shades off. Mac could see that she had light blue eyes even from where he was. He had to admit that she was pretty. He was surprised when she got up and came over to his table. "Hi," she said. "Are you waiting for someone?"

"No," Mac answered after he got over his shock.

"Mind if I join you?"

Mac swallowed. "Why not?" He watched her walk back to her table to get her drink and everything. She came back and sat down.

"I just noticed you were alone and I hate eating alone," the woman said. She offered her hand to Mac. "I'm Samantha."

Mac shook her hand. "Mac."

"Just Mac?"

"Yes."

"Well, some people call me Sam, but I like Samantha better. It's more feminine."

Mac stared at her a moment and then he smiled. "You definitely look more like a Samantha than a Sam."

Samantha smiled. "Is that stare of yours illegal?" she asked.

Mac's smile grew wider. "I hope not," he said. "I would have to arrest myself."

"You're a cop?"

Mac thought about that. "I am, but I'm Mac Taylor."

Samantha smiled. "I'm Samantha Jernigan. Did you just get here?"

"Yes, I sailed here from California."

"You did? How long did that take?"

"Seventeen days."

Samantha leaned on her hand with interest. "Didn't you get lonely?"

Mac cleared his throat. "Well, kinda, but I needed to be alone for a while."

"Oh, but you don't now, do you?"

Mac looked at her a moment. "No, I don't."

"Great. I know a great place we can go tonight."

"And where is that?"

"I know a club here where they are having an outdoor concert and Luau. They are going to have the greatest music and even a dance floor."

Mac looked down and smiled. "Well, I'm not much of a dancer," he said.

"I will teach you."

Mac looked at her. He had wanted to find something new in life, and maybe it was sitting here staring him in the face…he wanted life again. "I'll take you up on that," he said.

Samantha smiled. "I can't wait," she said. "I was thinking I would have to go to that alone."

Mac looked surprised. "I don't think you would have been alone for very long."

"Thank you." Samantha sipped her drink through the straw again.

Mac watched her a moment. He thought women could make anything look alluring if they did it right. He sipped his own drink. He did not think that looked as alluring as when she did it. "So where are you from?" Samantha asked.

"New York," Mac answered.

"I'm from Chicago."

Mac stared at her a moment. "I am too, but I moved to New York with my wife."

Samantha looked surprised. "You're married?"

"No, she died."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I've never been married. Got close once, but he was more interested in his secretary."

"Well, I don't have a secretary."

Samantha smiled and laughed. "You're cute."

Mac chuckled at that. "Cute?" He remembered Carla telling him that.

"Oh, you don't like to be called cute?"

Mac bit his bottom lip. "Well, it's been a long time since I thought I was in that category."

"So, how old are you?"

"I'm close to fifty." Mac looked at her to see her reaction to that.

"I'm almost forty, so I guess that's pretty good, isn't it?"

Mac found it hard to believe that she was close to forty. "You definitely don't look that old…not that that's old."

Samantha smiled. "Everyone gets older even if they try to look younger. I don't worry too much about that."

"Me either."

Just then, the waitress brought their plates. Mac tasted his fish. It was good as usual. It had been a long time since he had Mahi-Mahi, but he remembered how good it was. "Mmmm," Samantha said as she tasted a Papaya. "If I couldn't eat anything while I was here but fruit, I would be happy."

Mac looked at her. "Nothing like fresh fruit."

"Nothing in the world."

They ate in silence for a while. Mac still had his shades on, so he watched Samantha when she did not know he was. He liked the way she moved and the way she was happy. "Can we go sailing out on your boat?" Samantha asked. "I've never been on a sailboat."

"Well, maybe one day we can," Mac replied. Then he realized he was implying that they were going to spend a lot of time together. He looked at her. "I mean…if we decide to."

"Sounds good to me. Much better than being alone in this paradise. I would much rather see it with someone else. It's much more romantic that way."

Mac looked down at his plate. Was he over here looking for romance? Why did he come to Hawaii? He thought he had come over here because no one here knew him. Maybe he came to find someone who did not know him and he could spend time with her without everyone wondering who she was and where he met her and whether he was going to fall in love with her or not. He felt like he was in the spotlight when he was at that lab. Everyone wondered what he did in his spare time. When he took a day off, they all wondered what he did. He did not know why they thought so much about what he did. He figured they worried about him because he was consuming himself with work, but he was not going to do that anymore. He would search for things outside that lab. There was a whole world out here and he intended to see more of it than that lab.

When they were done eating, they walked down to the beach. "So, what brought you to Hawaii?" Samantha asked.

Mac thought a moment. "I wanted to get away and do something different," he said. "I had a lot of stuff built up inside and I had to get away to sort things out."

"I know that feeling. I've been caught up in my job ever since I lost my fiancé. Trying to hide in work, you know."

Mac nodded slightly. "Yeah, I know," he said. "I had to stop hiding. I realize now that I've made my work a prison."

"Me too." Samantha looked at him and smiled. "Maybe we can find our way out together."

"Maybe we can."

"When are you going back?"

"I'm not sure yet."

"I have to go back next Friday."

"I was thinking about spending a few days here and then going on to my next destination," Mac said. "I'm not sure where that is yet."

"So, you're just a free spirit right now?"

"You might say that. I'm not sure I want to go back to my job yet."

"Oh, I have to go back to mine. I like my job. It's just me that needs some adjustment."

Mac had not thought of it that way. He was blaming his job for his misery, but he worked a long time to get where he was. He supposed he had made his job a prison himself. He never took vacations or took days off. He tried to stay at the office all the time, even slept there because he did not want to go home.

Mac looked at Samantha who was smiling at him. "You like to swim in the ocean?" she asked.

"Yes," Mac replied.

"Me too. You want to go for a dip? I know a great place."

Mac nodded. "Sure."

"We have to drive there. I have a rental car."

"Okay. Just let me get some things from my room."

"What room are you in?"

"Three-seventy-nine."

"Hey, I am in Three-sixty-nine. Not far away."

"Great."

They walked back to the hotel. Mac went into his room and closed the door. He still felt nervous about this, but he wanted to at least try. He could always sail away into the sunset or sunrise and leave her behind. He did not want to be afraid anymore. He was tired of being alone, and he would pursue a relationship…maybe not this one, but at least it was a start. He changed into his beige shorts and a red tank top. He stuffed his other clothes into a duffle bag along with his beach towel and a few other things. Then he heard a soft knock at his door.

Mac opened the door to find Samantha there. "You ready?" she asked with a smile.

"Yes," Mac replied.

They went outside to Samantha's car, which was a jeep. She smiled as Mac stopped and stared at the vehicle. "Hey, I'm an adventurous woman," she said.

Mac smiled and put his duffle bag in the back. "So, where are we venturing to?" he asked as he climbed in.

"There's a little private strip of beach down here that is just gorgeous and the water is calm. It's surrounded by rocks and it's just beautiful!"

"Great." Mac wondered how she found this area.

"I've been here several times and I always go to that area. The owner of that place over there lets me go there. I think it will be more fun with someone else."

"So, you spend a lot of time in Hawaii?"

"Every summer. I don't have anyone else to spend money one except myself, so I take whatever vacation I want."

Mac looked out the window and frowned. This woman sounded a lot like him. He was tired of living that way…maybe she was too. He looked at her. "Do you like it that way or do you want something different?" he asked, hoping that was not too nosey.

Samantha looked at him. "I'm sick and tired of it," she said. "I want someone to go home to every night."

Mac shifted in his seat a little. "So, you go on vacation every year alone?"

"I keep hoping maybe I will find that special guy."

Mac knew that is what he should have been doing all this time instead of pretending that he did not need anyone. He remembered Jo telling him that he needed to live life. She had been right, although he did not like her telling him that. It was none of her business what he did, and he did not like her acting like she knew all about him. She did not know anything. Mac shook his head. He did not want to think about that frustration right now. Jo was always calm and acted like that job did not bother her at all. He thought maybe that was because she had a family to go home to. He remembered when he had Claire to go home to. He was not frustrated like he was now either and his job did not seem like the Plague. He knew he had done that to himself. He had realized that during his time of sailing.

Mac looked at Samantha. "How far is it to this place?" he asked.

"Just a few miles," she answered. "You know, I have considered moving here and just living here. I could do my job here."

Mac looked out the window. "So could I," he said. He had even thought of leaving New York. He looked at Samantha. She might just have the power to drag him out of there.

Samantha looked at him. "What are you thinking?" she asked.

"We seem like we're on the same trail," Mac admitted.

"We do. Maybe it's fate."

Mac swallowed. He was always nervous when he started talking about something like that. "I guess there's only one way to find out," he said, choking down his nervousness.

"Try."

Mac looked at her and they both smiled. He nodded. "Try," he agreed.

Mac and Samantha soon arrived at the place she had talked about. They parked at a large house. Mac stared up at it. It almost looked like a castle, but was not quite that large, but it was made of stones, not brick. Samantha noticed his wonder. "This is my Uncle's place," she said. "He's the one who lets me use that strip of beach. It's secluded and beautiful."

Mac looked at her. "Your uncle owns this?" he asked.

"Yes."

Mac thought his sister could probably own it too if she wanted to. He got his duffle bag from the jeep. "So, where is this spot?" he asked.

"Come on, we have to tell Uncle John that we're here."

"I already know," someone said.

They looked around. Mac saw a gray-haired man standing in the driveway with a smile on his face. "You think I could miss my favorite niece?" he asked.

Samantha smiled and went to him for a hug. "I guess you never do," she said. "I can't sneak up on you."

"No, you can't."

Mac walked over to them. "This is my friend, Mac," Samantha said. "We're going down to the beach."

John looked at Mac and shook his hand. "John Henderson," he said. "I'm her mother's brother."

Mac nodded. "Nice to meet you," he said. "Mac Taylor."

They stared at each other a moment, and Mac got an uneasy feeling. He did not think this man got all this legally. "Well, let's go," Samantha said. "See you later, Uncle John." She grabbed Mac's hand and they headed across the large back yard.

Mac frowned as he thought about that man he just met. He had seen crime bosses before. They did not always show signs of it. He blew out a breath. He was sure that guy would have him checked out and if he found out he was a cop…he hoped the man had respect for Samantha…and he hoped she was not part of that.

They climbed down a narrow trail through the rocks and finally got down to one of the most beautiful beaches Mac had ever seen. It was white sand and there was a…what Mac thought of as a lagoon…but the most beautiful lagoon he had ever seen. It was sunny and beautiful and surrounded by rock. "This is beautiful," he said.

"Oh, I know," Samantha replied. "I knew you would love it." She took her dress off and was wearing a light blue bikini.

Mac looked at what he was doing. He took his beach towel out and laid it on a rock. Then he removed his tank top. Samantha was standing in the edge of the water. "Come on, the water's great!" she said.

Mac walked over to the water's edge. "This is a great place," he commented. He looked up at the ledges surrounding them. He could not help but feel like they were being watched. He wondered what he had gotten himself into now. Everything could not turn out like this every time. Why was he lured into traps by these women? Then again, he had no idea whether Samantha was involved in anything or not. The man was her uncle…maybe she did not know what kind of business he ran.

"What kind of business does your uncle run?" Mac asked.

"He's in real estate," Samantha answered. "He sells homes and businesses, builds, rents."

Mac knew that was probably a front for the illegal activities. He had seen it all before. They run a legitimate business and in the back ground there is a whole lot of illegal activity going on. He could not be sure though, but he could not get past that feeling he got when he met Samantha's uncle. He had never heard of the Henderson Crime Family, but that did not mean that they did not exist.

Samantha swam out into the water. "Are you coming or not?" she asked.

"Sure," Mac replied. He swam into the water and swam underwater for a little way and then surfaced.

"You can certainly swim underwater a long way."

"I was in the Marines."

"Oh. I don't think I can hold my breath that long."

Mac smiled. "Well, I'll try to stay above water."

They swam a while and then went up on the beach. Samantha got some of the water out of her hair and spread out her beach blanket and sat down on it. "You want to rub tanning lotion on me?" she asked. "At least my back."

Mac laid his beach towel down and sat down. "Sure, I can do that," he said.

Mac watched Samantha rub the tanning lotion on and then she lay down on her stomach and gave him the lotion. He rubbed tanning lotion on her back. He remembered doing this for Claire…he remembered that he did not rub much lotion on her. He shook his head at that thought, but he could not help but remember. It was like déjà vu. He supposed it was like this for anyone who lost someone they loved; little things sparked memories. It was not as painful this time. He would not be haunted by his memories…he wanted to cherish them and be glad that he had gotten to love Claire as long as he did. He had known people whose wife was killed on their honeymoon before they even got to the hotel…or killed the next day…he did not know how they survived.

Mac finished rubbing the lotion on and then lay down on his towel. "So, you're a cop in New York," Samantha said.

"Yes," Mac replied. "I'm the head of the crime lab there."

"Wow. Can they get by without you this long?"

"Yes. I have a very good team."

"Must be great. Do they respect you?"

"Yes. We work well together. When you're in a job like that, you have to work as a team."

"You see a lot of murders?"

"Sometimes. It's a big city and there's a lot of crime."

Samantha turned on her side and propped on her elbow. "Does a person ever see too many murder victims?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "I'm trying to figure that out," he said. He looked up at the sky. "You said you liked your job and you had made it the way it was yourself…that made me think. I've made my job a prison. I worked hard to get the job I have and I'm the one who isolated my own self."

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to start living outside the lab. I don't want my whole life to be that lab anymore. I want to have something else."

"I want something outside my office too. There's more to life than getting up every morning and going to a job and working and then going home to a cold pizza and a TV."

Mac thought about that a moment. "There is," he said. "I had it once. I know it exists."

"I want that."

Mac looked at her. He did not know why she did not have it already. He thought she was very pretty. Maybe she was choosy…or maybe she was hard to please…he wondered if there was a difference. He looked up at the sky. "I finally got to where I think maybe I can find it again."

"I've been there for a while now. I just want to meet a nice man."

"And I want to meet a nice woman who won't think she has to compete with my past. I can't change the past and I want to look toward the future."

"I definitely want to look toward the future. There's nothing in the past that I want to repeat."

Mac could not say that…but he would have to leave it at that. He looked at Samantha who was lying on her back again with her eyes closed. He thought he could definitely get used to seeing that. He had not let himself enjoy anything in a long time. He smiled as he looked up toward the sky again and closed his eyes. It was relaxing to lie here in the sun. It was not how he had pictured himself lying in the sun on this vacation, but here he was anyway. He had thought he would be on the public beach. He had to admit this was nice though. It was quiet and he could relax. He was so relaxed, in fact, that he thought he would fall asleep…

The next thing Mac knew, Samantha was waking him up. "You better turn over," she was saying. "You might get a burn."

Mac realized he had fallen asleep. "You're right," he said. He turned over on his stomach. "I guess I was relaxed."

"I would say you were." She turned over on her stomach too. "You look like you've already got quite a tan."

"Yeah, I was in endless sun on that boat for seventeen days."

"I love the sun. I want to have a golden tan before I go home."

Mac thought she had a pretty good one right now, but he did too. He thought everyone would be surprised when he went back to the lab. He thought he would probably be even darker when he went back because he intended to sail back. He did not think he had ever had so much tan except maybe when he was in the war. There was definitely room for a tan over there in that desert. It was about like the ocean, with no trees to shade one.

"What do you do for fun, Mac Taylor?" Samantha asked, breaking into his thoughts.

"I like music," Mac replied. "I realized I have not even been enjoying that very much in the past few years, but I did on my voyage."

"I love music too. I play the piano."

Mac looked at her. "Sounds nice. I like piano."

"What do you play?"

"I play the bass."

"That's a good instrument too. You know it's not hard to learn to play a regular guitar once you know all the cords. I play that too."

Mac thought he could really like this woman. Maybe they could enjoy music together too. "Maybe we can play together sometime," he said.

"I hope so," Samantha said with enthusiasm. "Maybe I can teach you the guitar."

"That would be great."

A while later, they left the beach and went back to the mansion. Mac did not know if he wanted to go in there or not because he was sure he had been checked out. He had to change clothes though because they were going straight to the Luau. He could hardly believe how quickly this day had gone by. "Come on," Samantha said, noticing his hesitation. "There are plenty of rooms in this house."

"I can imagine," Mac said. "But I don't want to intrude."

"Oh, nonsense. Uncle John has a guest house back here that we can change in and get a quick shower before we go to the Luau."

"Sure."

Mac followed her to the guest house. Even the guest house was as big as a regular house, but it was small beside the mansion. Mac wanted to get out of here. He did not like being in places like this where people could be around and one does not even know it because there is so much space in the house. Samantha opened the door and they went in. It was very cool in the house. "Why aren't you staying here?" Mac asked, curiously.

"I want to be around other people," Samantha answered. "I am alone enough when I'm at home without staying in this house."

"Oh."

Samantha showed Mac to a room. "You can shower and get ready in there," she said.

"Thanks."

Mac went into the room, which was quite large. He set his duffle bag down on the bed which was covered with a royal blue, satin comforter. He wondered what the ones in the house were covered with if there was satin in the guest house. He thought maybe the owner thought the guests should have what the other house had. He went into the bathroom and got undressed. There was a huge, vanity tub in the bathroom and a separate shower. He just got in the shower. The water felt good and he wanted the smell of cocoa butter off him. He liked sunscreen, but he did not like the smell and he wanted to smell like something else. He had brought everything with him because he figured he would have to change somewhere else, but he certainly did not imagine anything like this. He finished his shower and got dressed for the Luau. He was wearing white pants and a red and white Hawaiian shirt. He was looking forward to hearing some good music and even maybe dancing with Samantha.

Mac stuffed everything back into his duffle bag and went back out into the living room, which he thought might be bigger than his apartment. There was a big sofa in there, so he sat down to wait for Samantha. Suddenly, the front door opened, and Mac jumped up. Uncle John walked in. "Well, hello," he said. "Where's Samantha?"

"She's still in the back," Mac replied.

John stared at Mac a moment. "Come out front with me," he said. "Let's talk while you wait for her."

Mac hesitated a second, but then he went on with him. "You have quite a place here," Mac commented as they walked out onto the lawn.

"Thank you," John said in a proud tone. "Where do you come from, Mister Taylor?" he asked.

"New York."

"And what do you do there?"

Mac had a feeling that John already knew, but he was just trying to get to his point. "I'm the head of the crime lab there," he answered and watched John's reaction.

John was silent a moment. "Well, the last guy who got involved with my niece left her with a broken heart." He looked at Mac. "What are your plans?"

"I'm not sure what my plans are. We just met today."

John stopped and stared at Mac a moment. "You just see that you don't do her the way that last creep did. I love my niece."

"Well, I don't intend to do that."

They stared at each other a moment, each one knowing what the other was and what that meant for their profession. "You know who I am, don't you?" John asked.

"I know what you are if that's what you mean," Mac replied.

"Samantha doesn't know anything about that, and you see that you keep it that way. You'll never prove it anyway."

"You'd be surprised how many people I have heard say that."

John just looked at Mac. "I've heard a lot of people say that too. They got discouraged."

Mac frowned. "If you're threatening me, it won't work. Besides, I'm not here as the head of the crime lab. I'm on vacation."

"Cops are never really on vacation."

"Maybe not, but I'm sure the local authorities are watching you when you don't know it and they'll catch you eventually."

John stepped closer to Mac. "Bottom line is…if you hurt my niece, you'll answer to me," he said in a low tone.

Mac glared at him. "People like you always get taken down," he said. "You think you're invincible, but you're not."

"Watch your back, Detective."

"Maybe you should watch yours. What do you think she would think if she knew you were involved in crime?"

"I never said I was."

Mac frowned. "I've seen people like you before."

Just then, Samantha came from the house. "There you are!" she said.

Mac looked at her. Her blonde hair was shining in the sun and he thought she looked beautiful in her light blue and white Hawaiian dress. He could see where the sun had kissed her face with a tan. She walked over to them. "I'm ready," she said.

"I can see that," Mac replied. "You look beautiful."

Samantha smiled. "Thank you. What have you two been talking about?"

Mac and John glanced at each other. "Just conversation," Mac replied. "I need to get my duffle bag. Excuse me."

Mac frowned as he walked back to the house. He should have known there would be some sort of disaster. Now, what would he do? He knew how crime families were. That guy would defend his niece to the death. Mac got his duffle bag and went back out. "You two be careful," John said and kissed Samantha on the cheek.

"We will, Uncle," Samantha replied. "I think Mac can take care of me." She smiled at Mac as she squeezed his arm.

"I'm sure he can."

Mac and John gave each other another hard look as Mac walked away with Samantha. "I am so ready for this Luau!" Samantha exclaimed as they got into the jeep. She put her shades on. "Are you ready?"

"Absolutely," Mac replied with a smile. He looked at John again as they were pulling away. He knew that was a dangerous man, and he could hardly believe that Samantha did not know anything about it. John said she did not though, but the man was probably so used to lying that he could lie without even changing his expression.

Mac knew he would have to be careful around that guy. It was a long, lonely voyage back to California. He wished he had not gotten involved with Samantha now, but he liked her and they had a lot in common. What would she think if he had to take her uncle down?

"You sure are quiet," Samantha said.

"Just thinking," Mac replied. He watched the gate open at the end of the driveway. "I think this Luau will be fun."

"Me too. I can't wait!" Samantha was quiet a moment. "Do you think we'll keep in touch when we go back home?"

Mac looked at her. He did not know how to answer that. "I don't know. I guess it's according to how things go…right?"

"Right. We can at least be friends, right?"

"Of course. I guess we are already that."

Samantha smiled at him. "Absolutely."

Mac wondered how this would go. He certainly did not want a crime boss on his trail, but it would not be fair to Samantha to reject her because of that…if she was not involved. He was not at all certain that she was not. He would give her the benefit of the doubt…for now. He could not judge her by what her uncle was doing, but it was hard for him to believe that she stayed there and did not see anything weird going on. Then again, she was not staying there.

Soon, they arrived at the Luau. At the moment, there was Hawaiian music playing and they were graced with a Lei and then shown to their own table. It was getting dark already, but Mac could see the orange of the evening as the sun was going down, and there were torches lit around the area. "Isn't this beautiful!" Samantha said.

"Yes," Mac replied. He was trying to get his mind off what he learned today. He wanted to have fun at this event. "So, what kind of music does this artist play?"

"He plays the saxophone," Samantha answered. "I just love his music. It is so romantic."

Mac smiled. "Well, maybe I can keep up."

"I will make sure you do."

Mac looked into Samantha's eyes. She certainly did not have the look of a criminal. Then again, one could not always go by that. "You have beautiful eyes," he said.

Samantha's smile brightened. "So do you," she replied. She leaned on the table and gazed at Mac. "So handsome."

Mac felt shy again. He bit his bottom lip as he often did when he was feeling shy. "You're very beautiful."

"So, what kind of drink are you going to have tonight?"

"The Mai-Tai I had today was very good," Mac said.

"I like a Pina Colada."

"I guess any of them are good."

Soon, the entertainment started. First they had traditional Hawaiian entertainment and Samantha pulled Mac over to the dance floor when the featured artist came over. They were dancing to a Reggae style of music. Mac felt happy as he tried to learn the dance and finally got the hang of it with Samantha helping. She was having the time of her life too. They were both soon lost in the music. Mac was not worried about anyone seeing him and wondering when he learned that or thinking that they did not know he had it in him.

When the Luau was over, they went back to the hotel. "Walk me to my door," Samantha said.

"Sure," Mac replied.

They walked to her hotel room, talking as they went. "You're so much fun," Samantha said as they stopped at her door. "I had such a good time."

"Me too," Mac replied.

"Do you believe in kissing on the first date?"

Mac smiled just a little. "If we feel like it," he said.

Samantha smiled and put her arms around his neck. "I feel like it," she whispered.

Mac put his arms around her waist. "I guess that makes two of us." He pulled her closer to him and kissed her.

Samantha stared at him a moment. "Wow," she said.

"Is that a good wow?" Mac asked.

"Is there a bad one?"

Mac smiled and kissed her again. He felt his heart soaring and he had not felt this good in years. Then he hugged Samantha to him. He could feel their hearts pounding together. "Thanks for asking me out," he whispered.

"My pleasure," Samantha replied.

They looked at each other a moment as they stepped apart. "Sleep well," Mac said.

"You too." Samantha watched Mac as he walked all the way to the corner of the hall…

Mac looked back at her and then he went on around the corner toward his room. He rubbed his face. He had not felt like that in quite a while…not even with Carla. He hoped maybe this one would work out…in spite of what her uncle was…


	5. Chapter 5

When Mac woke up the next morning, he was feeling like he was on the boat. He groaned as he opened his eyes. He felt like everything was moving. He thought his brain must be trying to get used to the idea of being on land again. He turned over on his stomach, but that made it even worse as he felt like the room was spinning. Then his stomach decided it did not like this situation. Mac got up and almost fell. He could see the bathroom door, but he felt like he was walking sideways. He made it to the bathroom and threw up. He knew what was happening. He had been through this before. It was called "traveler's sickness", but it always struck him after he got where he was going. He made his way back to the bed and lay down. He needed some motion sickness medicine, but he did not know how he would get down there to get it.

Mac finally got himself up and got a shower. He was still dizzy, but he knew when he took some Dramamine, it would be okay. He got dressed feeling like the room was spinning around him, and he felt cold. He wished he had a jacket, even though he was in Hawaii. He went out the door, hoping he could keep from staggering while he was walking. He looked down the hall and saw Samantha coming that way. "Morning," she said. She stopped when she noticed how pale he looked. "Are you okay?"

Mac swallowed and leaned on the wall. "No," he admitted.

"What's wrong?"

"Just motion sickness, or traveler's sickness. I have to get something for it."

"Oh, you poor thing. I'll be glad to go get it for you. What do you need?"

"Dramamine."

"You just stay here and I'll get it for you."

Mac looked at her a moment. He had to admit he did not want to try and get all the way down to the shop. "I would appreciate that," he said. He took his wallet out and gave her some money.

"Are you going to be okay? Do you need a doctor?"

"No, if I take that I'll be okay."

"Okay. I'll be back soon."

Mac watched her walk down the hall. He went back into his hotel room and lay down on the bed. He supposed he would go through this again when he got back to California, or he thought he might get sick on the boat this time. He supposed he would have to take the medicine with him in case he needed it. He did not know why this always struck him "after" he got to his destination…

Mac was awakened by someone knocking on the door. "Mac, are you okay?" Samantha asked. "Open the door."

Mac realized he had fallen asleep. He got up and weaved his way to the door. He opened it. "I'm sorry," he said. "I fell asleep."

"That is okay." Samantha came in and closed the door. "Here's your change."

Mac weaved on his feet. Samantha gasped and grabbed his arm. "I'm okay," Mac said. "I'm just dizzy. I'll be fine in a little while." He got a bottle of water and some of the medicine and swallowed it. "I'll be fine when the medicine kicks in."

"Okay." Samantha sat down beside him on the bed as he lay down. "I never have anything like this."

"Sometimes I think I am the only one in the world who has it."

"No you're not. I have seen people taken from the plane in a wheelchair."

"I haven't gotten that far yet. I usually get something before I get that bad."

"How long does it take the medicine to work?"

"Not long." Mac looked at her. "What were you coming to tell me?"

"I wanted to go to breakfast."

"We can do that when I get better."

Samantha smiled. "I enjoyed last night," she said.

"Me too," Mac said. "I haven't had that much fun in years."

"Neither have I. I think we met at the right time."

"I hope so. Maybe we are both ready."

They were both silent for a few moments, both wondering what that really meant. Mac stared at the ceiling, although it looked like it was moving around a little. He thought maybe he wanted to keep seeing Samantha, but he was not sure. He certainly was not sure about her uncle. Mac looked at Samantha. "So, how close are you to your uncle?" he asked, hoping that did not sound stupid.

"We've always been close," Samantha said. "My mother is his only sister, so he used to visit a lot. He always brought gifts and he would give me big warm hugs. I guess since my father died when I was little, he was like a father to me."

Mac nodded. He understood now. He knew why she did not know anything about that; they did not want her to know because John wanted her to know that he loved her and nothing else. Mac figured he probably was in real estate, but he had something else on the side. He practically admitted it.

Soon, Mac was feeling better so they went to breakfast. "I don't know why I get like that," Mac said, as they were at the buffet.

"Probably all that movement on the boat," Samantha replied.

"But I didn't get sick on the boat, I got sick this morning. I think it is somewhere between jet lag and motion sickness. I feel like I can feel the world turning." Mac smiled and shook his head. "At least it doesn't take long to get it under control."

"I'm glad."

They finished helping their plates and found a table. "Don't you just love doing everything near the ocean here?" Samantha asked.

"Yes," Mac replied. "It's relaxing and beautiful."

"I'm really tempted to just move here and stay. I like my job in Chicago, but I love the ocean."

"Well, I see the ocean sometimes in New York, but it doesn't look quite like this."

"I don't think anything looks like this."

Mac took a bite of his food and looked out at the ocean. "Why don't we just go out on the boat today?" he asked.

Samantha smiled at him. "Yes," she said. "I would love to."

"We can sail over to Maui and enjoy that one for a while."

"Spend the night?"

Mac thought about that a moment. Was he implying that he wanted to spend the night with her? "Well, I was intending to go over there and I intend to visit the other islands too. There's something beautiful on all of them."

"I would love to go. We can spend the night on your boat? Or in a hotel?"

"I only have one bed on the boat. I suppose a hotel is the best choice."

"Probably."

Mac looked at Samantha as she took another bite of her breakfast. He was still not ready to go that far. He thought he might not get ready unless they dated a while and decided to get married. He was tired of playing around. He would not play around anymore. He had tried that and it was not what he wanted. He wanted something that was going to last.

"I guess I will go to the hotel and get my things when we're done here," Samantha said.

"Yes, I will too," Mac said. "We should get started early."

"Maybe we can go to another Luau."

"Maybe. That was a lot of fun."

"Maui is so beautiful. It's been said that it is the most beautiful."

"Well, I don't know. I think they're all beautiful."

"I can't wait. I never thought I would get to do all this with someone."

"Me neither. I thought I would be alone over here just wandering around."

"I guess fate thought otherwise."

Mac looked at her a moment and smiled. "I guess so."

When they were done with breakfast, they went to the hotel and got a few things. As they were waiting for a cab, Mac noticed a guy watching them. He wondered if that guy was from Samantha's uncle. Mac was sure he was watching them because he looked down or away every time he looked that way. He supposed the guy would lose their trail when they got out on the boat. He would certainly not want Samantha to get suspicious.

The cab arrived and they went down to the Marina where the boat was docked. "Oh, wow, it's beautiful," Samantha commented. She put her hands on her hips. "Hey, you haven't named it."

Mac climbed aboard and helped Samantha get aboard with her two suitcases. "I haven't decided on a name yet," he said.

"Must be difficult to name a boat. I mean, what do you name a boat?"

"Well, I've never named one, but you're supposed to name it something that's special to you."

"Hmmm. What name is special to you?"

Mac swallowed and cleared his throat. "Well, I just haven't decided yet," he said. He got the boat from the dock and out into the harbor. When they were further out, he set sail.

Samantha gasped when she felt the wind pull the boat. "Wow, I've never been on a sail boat," she said.

"It's quite an experience," Mac replied.

They were soon on their way to Maui, which was not very far away, but would take some time to get there. They had to be careful not to get into the wrong winds or they might run aground into some rocks or be shoved into them. They could see the island in the distance already. "How beautiful, even from here," Samantha said.

Mac nodded as he was steering the boat. He would stay at the helm for this trip since it would not be very long. "So, where are we landing?" Samantha asked.

"At Kipahulu," Mac answered.

"Nice pronunciation."

"Thanks. I try." Mac smiled. "I like studying words that I don't see all the time."

"There are a lot of those in Hawaii. A totally different, beautiful language."

Mac thought as he looked toward Maui. He wondered what it would be like to actually live here. He wondered if he would ever be able to pronounce all these words and know where he was going. He supposed over time, people learned their surroundings and new things about where they live. He was not sure that he wanted to leave New York yet. He had lived there a long time and it was his home. He did not know if he could just take up stakes and leave like that or not…nor if he would ever want to leave it.

"What are you thinking about?" Samantha asked.

Mac looked at her. He had to admit that she was beautiful, and she stirred him inside just by the way she looked at him. She had a pretty smile and honest eyes…not to mention that glowing blonde hair. "I'm thinking a lot of things," Mac said.

"Like what?" Samantha could see the tender way Mac looked at her. She certainly wanted to see what that was all about in every aspect of the word.

Mac looked toward the island again and then back at Samantha. "I just have a lot on my mind," he said.

"Am I one of the things that's troubling you?" Samantha asked.

Mac stared at her a moment. "No, you're not troubling me. Why would you think that?"

"Well, I know you said you came over here to be alone and now here I am."

"I want you here. You're making this trip better."

"Why?"

Mac smiled his shy smile. "Well, you are beautiful to look at and you're pleasant to be with and you're a delight to talk to."

Samantha smiled. "You say the sweetest things," she said.

"Why would I say anything any other way?"

They soon arrived at the island and docked. Mac paid the docking fee and they went out to see what they could see. Samantha grabbed Mac's hand and looked at him to see if he cared. He smiled at her, so they went on. "I love to wear Hawaiian clothes," Samantha commented. "Can you imagine living here and never having to wear a coat?"

Mac considered that. He had moved from Chicago to New York. Both were known for brutal winters. "It might be nice," he said. "I don't know though. I kinda like to keep places like this for vacations. If I lived here, where would I go on vacation?"

"Europe?"

Mac smiled. "Maybe."

"You might want to visit New York for vacation."

"Hmmm. I might get sick of the sun and sand?"

Samantha laughed. "Maybe."

Mac thought she had a beautiful laugh. He looked at the beach as they walked by on the pier. "Why don't we just lie on the beach a while?" he asked. "We can go on and eat after that and then find something else to do this afternoon."

"Great," Samantha agreed. "What will we do? I think I would like to go horseback riding. Did you know you can do that here?"

"Yes. Sounds odd, doesn't it? I don't think anyone thinks of horseback riding when they think of Hawaii."

"I know I don't. I think about what we're seeing right now."

Mac nodded as he looked across the ocean. He had absolutely nothing to do or worry about…then again, he was on vacation. No one was supposed to worry about things when they were on vacation. He wondered what it would be like when he went back to New York. Would he get back in that routine again? Would he let his work consume him because of memories he would have to endure again? Chicago would be the same way…he had lived there with Claire too. He had to admit that he had let a lot of it go during his sailing trip, but he knew some of it was still lurking in his heart and it would jump out at him the first chance it got. He thought maybe he should just stay in California with Martha for a while. Was he afraid? He thought he was afraid that his memories would consume him and that he would be back in the same shape he was in when he walked out of that office the last time. He had a lot of decisions to make and he supposed he would have to exclude Samantha from that for now…but he could enjoy that while he was here…

As they spent the day together, Mac became more enchanted with Samantha. He was beginning to think that maybe he could not just leave her behind. He had to admit to himself that he enjoyed having a companion. Could he just take her with him when he went back to California? That was a long voyage back, and it could take even longer than it took to get here to Hawaii. They were sitting and listening to Hawaiian music and watching hula dancers. It was night and everyone was relaxing. Mac looked at Samantha as she watched the dances. He ran his fingers through her hair and studied every feature of her face and neck. He could smell her perfume and her hair smelled good too. Mac realized he was becoming infatuated. He moved closer to her and caressed her arm. Samantha looked at him. "Why don't we go back to the boat?" she asked. "We could have some time alone."

Mac looked into her eyes. He thought he might like that too much and he might forget what he had decided earlier. He thought they must have forgotten to make his last drink dry, or he was just falling in love with this woman. Samantha leaned on his chest and Mac put his arms around her. They had left their luggage on the boat. He supposed they had been planning to go back there.

When the entertainment was over, Mac and Samantha decided to walk back to the boat. "What are you planning to do?" Samantha asked, as they were walking hand in hand

"I'm not sure yet," Mac replied.

"Can I be part of it?"

Mac looked at her and then he looked down at the pier. "I don't know yet," he said.

Samantha stopped and faced him. She caressed his cheek and moved closer to him. "Can't we enjoy each other?" she asked.

Mac felt like he was being pressured. He remembered when he and Peyton had gotten together. He had felt pressured then too. And then she had embarrassed him when she sent that letter and everyone knew she was not coming back after a while, even though he had tried to keep it inside. He did not want that again. "I don't know if I'm ready for this," he said and backed up a step. "I don't want to repeat any mistakes."

"What mistake?"

Mac sighed. "I've enjoyed this day more than I have enjoyed anything in years," he said. "I don't want to start arguing."

"Who's arguing? I just want to know what's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong, I just don't want to feel pressured into anything."

"Pressured? Into what? You think I'm trying to get you to have sex with me?"

Mac rolled his eyes and looked out at the dark water. "I don't want to talk about that," he said.

"I think you do. You're the one who brought it up."

Mac looked at her. He turned and started toward the boat again and Samantha followed him. They soon arrived at the boat and Mac went into the cabin. Samantha came in. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Mac said. "I thought I had gotten past all this turmoil inside, but I see now that it will never go away. I'll always have to be haunted by everything!"

Samantha hugged him. "Why don't you tell me about it?" she asked. "I would be more than happy to listen."

"I've tried that before," Mac said. "I let all my emotions go while I was on that voyage. I think maybe I need to be a hermit."

"Oh, Mac, I don't think that's the answer."

"Then what is the answer?"

"I don't know."

Mac held her tighter. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life alone, but I don't want to just jump into something that I am going to have to add to the rest of my regrets!"

"We don't have to go any faster than you want to go," Samantha said. "Why don't we just go with the wind like this boat does and see where we go?"

Mac felt like he wanted to explode again. He would have to make that trip back to California alone. He had not worked everything out…he had more to do. He had to find out if this is what he really wanted. He would not just fall into something again.

Mac looked at Samantha. "I don't know what I want right now," he said.

They sat down on the sofa. "This is really a nice boat," Samantha said.

"Yeah, the man I bought it from really took care of it."

Samantha looked at him. "I hope you can find some room for me in your life," she said.

Mac touched her face. "I hope I can too," he replied. He leaned toward her for a kiss. He only hesitated for a moment and then they shared a long kiss. It was a passionate kiss that made his heart race and he did not want it to end.

Samantha climbed over into his lap and they found themselves lying on the couch instead of sitting. Mac buried his hands in her golden hair and let himself enjoy their mutual passion. Then he was kissing her neck and inhaling the fragrance of her perfume. They looked at each other breathless. "I think we better stop this," Mac said.

"Why?" Samantha asked.

"Because I want to take this slower."

Samantha kissed his lips again and they shared another kiss. Then she got up. "So, where are we sleeping?" she asked.

Mac stared at her a moment. "You can have the bed in there and I'll sleep here," he said.

"Okay."

Mac watched Samantha walk to the other room. He blew out a breath. He lay back on the couch and stared at the ceiling. He thought Samantha could probably give him something to look forward to every day and she might be able to make him forget what he let bother him so much…

The next morning, Mac was up just as the sun was coming up. He sat on the deck and watched it come up. It was a beautiful sunrise…but were they not all beautiful? He thought the sunrise would be beautiful no matter where one was standing. He thought he would go back to California and then take his road trip like he had planned. He was going to drive down to the South and see what he could find down there. He supposed he had to tell Samantha. He would not take her with him. He wanted to be alone and free for a while longer.

Mac went back into the cabin, but Samantha was still in bed. "Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," Mac called from the living area.

"I'm awake!" Samantha called groggily.

Mac smiled and sat down to wait for her. Soon, she came out of the bedroom looking like she was fresh as a daisy. "We need to talk," Mac said.

Samantha sat down. "Can we talk over breakfast?" she asked.

"Sure."

They walked to a café not far from the dock and got a table. "What did you want to talk about?" Samantha asked.

"My plans," Mac replied. He looked at her. "I have a lot of things I want to do and a lot of thinking to do. I just think we need to take this very slowly because I don't know what I want to do yet. I don't want to rush into something and then hurt you later."

"I'm not rushing you."

"I know, I'm just saying…I really enjoyed last night." Mac looked at her. "A whole lot."

"I did too," Samantha said. She leaned on the table. "I could have stayed in your arms all night."

Mac cleared his throat. "Well, I could have kept you there too, but I don't want to go into that at the moment. I don't want to do something else I'll regret later, because neither of us really knows what we want to do."

"So, you're saying that you don't want to see me anymore."

"No, that's not what I am saying. I'm just saying that when I go back to California on the boat, I want to go alone."

Samantha stared at him. "So, we're having a fling?" she asked.

"Maybe."

"It's a powerful fling."

"I know. It could consume us both."

"Fiery passion."

Mac nodded. "That's what we have alright."

"What's wrong with that?"

"I want more than that."

"Maybe it could be more than that later."

Mac thought he hated the word 'maybe'. That was all he ever thought of when he thought of relationships…maybe. He thought if he met the right woman, it might not be 'maybe'…maybe he would know something definite. Mac leaned on his hand. "I don't want to hurt you," he said. "Let's just have fun together while we're here and then stay in touch…maybe we'll find that we have a lot in common."

"A long distance relationship?"

"I don't know. I'll know where you are."

"So, I just sit and wait for you to come after me?"

Mac looked into Samantha's eyes. He heard that tone in her voice. "That's not what I'm saying," he said.

"Then what are you saying? You expect me to do all the waiting and dream of my knight in shining armor coming after me?"

Mac frowned. "No." He stood up. "That's not what I meant. I told you I already had plans and I have to do what I wanted to do. I don't want to go back home and wonder what I might have discovered about myself. We just met by chance. I'm sorry for hurting you."

Mac started to walk away, realizing people were starting to stare, although he had tried to keep his voice quiet. Samantha came after him. "Mac, wait!" she said.

Mac kept on walking and Samantha caught up with him. They left the café and walked down to the beach which was mostly empty this early. "Mac, I don't want you to leave like this," Samantha said. "I'm sorry. I just don't like to think that I'm supposed to wait for you while you go off and see if you find someone better."

Mac looked at her. "How do you know that's what I'm thinking about?" he asked. "I have to go and figure some things out. I thought I figured them out before, but when I got into all this again, I realize, I haven't figured anything out. Now, here I am arguing with you. I'll help you get your luggage to a hotel and I'm going to stay on the boat until I decide to leave this island and go to another. I don't want turmoil to ruin my vacation."

Samantha could not argue with that. She could see the anguish on Mac's face. "You must have loved her a lot," she said. "I hope she knew how lucky she was."

Mac stared at her a moment. "I know how lucky I was," he said. "And yes, I did love her a lot."

"How did she die?"

Mac realized he had not even told Samantha anything about that. They had been having fun and talking about other things. He looked across the ocean. "I don't want to talk about that right now," he said. "I just want to get you into a hotel and just go from there."

"Whatever, Mac."

They walked back to the boat and got Samantha's luggage and walked to a hotel close to the beach. When Samantha was checked in, Mac went back to his boat. He sighed as he went into the cabin. He did not want to go through that anymore.

Suddenly, two men came into the cabin. Mac whirled around and stared at them. They were dressed in suits and they both had weapons with them. "What do you want?" Mac asked.

"You have an appointment," one of them said.

Mac glared at them. "And if I refuse?" he asked.

"We'll use force."

"And just who do I have a meeting with?"

"You'll see."

"Well, I don't want to have a meeting with anyone."

"You don't have a choice."

Mac got into a fighting stance when they moved toward him. "I'm not going to be taken easily," he warned in a low growl.

The two men stared at Mac a moment. He did not look so tough. He was not a big man. They were bigger than him and there were two of them…but there was something in those green eyes that did not show any fear. They were being driven by duty, however, so they went on toward Mac. Mac sprang into action. As he grabbed the first by the arm and jerked him forward, he rammed his elbow into the other's nose. Then he started to come down on the first guy's elbow, but something hard struck him on the back of the head. Mac felt his arms drop to his sides and everything tilted. He found himself lying on the floor of the cabin. His two attackers got him up and carried him out to a limousine. Mac lay on the seat of the limo in a daze. What was he into now? Who were these people and how did they know him?

The next thing Mac knew, they were taking him out of the limo. He looked at where he was…John Henderson's house. He could not believe this…why was he here? They took him into the house and John was sitting at a table with a glass of wine. Mac glared at him. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked. He jerked his arms away from the body guards. He felt a little dizzy for a moment, but he was seething with anger, so he got over the dizziness. "You have no right to kidnap me like this!"

"Sit down, Detective Taylor," John said, as a command.

Mac stared at him with his mouth open for a moment. "What?"

"I said, '_sit down_'."

John looked at Mac with cold blue eyes. Mac glared at him. "I'm not one of your puppets that you can boss around," Mac declared.

"If you do not sit down, Arthur there will make you sit down."

Mac looked at the body guard and then back at John. He sat down in the chair across from John. "What do you want?" Mac asked.

"Have a glass of wine," John said, as though they were having a pleasant conversation.

"I don't want a glass of wine! I want you to tell me why I am here and what you think gives you the right to kidnap me!"

John set his glass down and stared at Mac. "Okay, I will get right to the point," he said coldly. "I warned you about my niece, didn't I?"

"What about her?" Mac asked. "I was right. You had someone spying on us, didn't you?"

"Of course I did." John frowned. "She was crying when my guards saw her last."

"Because I told her that I'm not ready for a relationship like ours. I have more things to work out."

"Then why did you start it in the first place?"

"I didn't…she did."

John sipped his wine again. "I think I might have a job for you," he said.

Mac stared at him in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?" he asked.

"I hardly ever tell jokes. Most of the time they're not funny anyway."

"Your two goons there are not enough to make me work for you."

"Oh, I have something more persuasive than that."

Mac folded his arms. "You don't have anything that can cause me to work for you."

"I think I might change your mind." John laid a picture on the table in front of Mac.

Mac stared at it as his blood ran cold and then got red hot. He glared at John. "I'll kill you if you touch her," he said barely above a whisper.

John shook his head. "It's hard to convince you that you're not in charge here, isn't it? Must be because you're always in charge over there in New York."

Mac glared at him and snatched the picture of Jessica, his niece, off the table. "How did you get this?" he demanded.

"I have ways," John said. "I need someone to do a job for me and I think you would be perfect."

"I am not going to do anything for you!"

"I think you will because I have people all over the world who answer to me, including in Los Angeles and if I give them the order, they'll take your little niece there and…well, need I go on?"

Mac thought he could not keep himself in that chair. He wanted to grab this man and take the life out of him. John leaned on the table and stared at Mac. "I knew I would find some use for you when my niece brought you here," he said quietly.

Mac just glared at him. "I won't work for a crime boss," he growled. He thought he would not be able to say that.

"I think you will," John declared. "I'm sure with all that Marine training and with all those detective skills, you can do things that most of my other men can't."

Mac thought he would explode. He felt like he was trapped, and it was worse than being trapped in his memories and other thoughts. "I will not use my skills to help you commit crimes!" he said.

John leaned back in his chair. "I thought you were a reasonable man," he said. "I can kill you and kill your family over there in California, and no one will ever know that I did it."

Mac knew he was telling the truth. He knew how these crime bosses worked. They had front men to do their dirty work, and it was virtually impossible to prove that they did anything because most of the time, the others would not roll over on them. However, this time, he knew who was behind this. He would take this guy down even if he went along with it for the time being.

"I can see that brain working in there," John said. "If you think you can take me down, you're wrong."

"You'd be surprised at how many people I have heard say that and they're rotting in prison now, or lying in the cemetery."

John's expression became stone cold. "Even if you see me in prison, you'll see your family tortured and killed first."

Mac did not think he had ever been so angry in his life. "What do you do? Use your niece to bring people over here to force them to work for you? Is that what happened to her fiancé?"

"He was less than cooperative and he had no skills. You, on the other hand, have what I need in my organization."

"I will not be part of a criminal organization!" Mac stood up. "You won't threaten me into this!" He started to leave the table, but the two body guards were standing there with their weapons ready. Mac glared at them and then at John.

"You don't care about yourself," John said. "You think you probably want to die because you live a tortured life, but don't you care about your family."

Mac stared at him a moment and let that statement soak in. Did he think he wanted to die? Was that why he risked his life with all these criminals? Was he trying to get killed in the line of duty? No! He would not let this guy play with his mind. "I don't want to die, but I am not going to be involved in a criminal gang!" he said.

"I've seen a lot of people like you, Detective. They think they're invincible, but one day, there's a bullet that shows them that they're just as human as anyone else."

Mac remembered staring into the barrel of that gun…if it had not jammed… "I won't do it," he said. "And I won't let you play with my mind!"

"I'm already in your mind," John said in his calm way. "I'm going to own your mind and your whole being."

Mac frowned. "I'll die first," he declared. "And I'll take you with me."

John motioned to his two bodyguards. "Take Detective Taylor in there and show him how we discipline uncooperative associates," he said.

Mac looked to see the body guards coming toward him. They grabbed him by the arms, but he tried to fight back. However, one of them kneed him in the groin. Mac lost his grip then and they half-dragged him into another room. He got his strength back though and elbowed one of them in the nose and then punched the other one before he could get him under control. However, before Mac could turn around, another person came into the room. He got into a fighting stance while the other two moved out of the way. Mac stared at his new opponent, who was wearing black and had his face covered with a black ski mask. He did not say a word, but all Mac could see were blue eyes and the guy was in a fighting stance like a ninja.

"So, who are you supposed to be?" Mac asked.

The man did not reply a word, he just waited. "So, are we going to stand here and stare at each other?" Mac asked. He started for the door, but the two body guards stepped in front of it. Mac did not know how he got himself into this. He looked at the…ninja, who was still waiting.

Mac walked closer to him. He had never fought anyone who knew karate…or whatever this one knew. He looked at the two body guards. "How am I going to help anybody do anything if I'm beat up?" he asked, realizing that he was giving in and making a bargain. He stared at the two. "You two never say anything? That guy in there does all your talking for you?"

Mac was horrified when they showed him that they did not have a tongue. He backed up a step and then whirled around toward the other guy. That guy was still standing there as though he were stuck in one position waiting. "This is crazy!" Mac said. "Tell him I'll do whatever he wants!" He looked at the two body guards. "Tell him!"

One of them left the room. Mac was steaming mad. He would find a way to get in contact with the police around here and let them know what was going on. He would take this gang down. No one threatened his family and got away with it. He would see to that. This guy thought he was above the law…and maybe he had the law around here in his back pocket, but Mac would find someone who was not in that back pocket. There had to be someone who could help him out of this mess…

Soon, the other body guard came back and motioned for Mac to follow them. They took him back out to John. "Well, it didn't take long to change your mind," he said, triumphantly.

Mac seethed inside. "What do you want?" he asked. He knew he could not get out of this yet, but he would find a way…

"I have a special assignment for you. One that I think you will enjoy."

Just then, the "ninja" came in. "Oh, and you'll have a little help," John added. He nodded to the ninja.

Mac looked as the mask was removed…


	6. Chapter 6

Mac was shocked when he saw who was behind that mask. Samantha's golden hair spilled out of the ski mask and she pushed her hair back and put it in a ponytail. Mac stared at her in disbelief. He had been fooled! He looked at Samantha and then at John. "How did you know who I was?" he asked. "She was just a plant!"

"Sure I was," Samantha said. "We knew when you hit the dock. You're such a sucker."

Mac glared at her. "I was honest with you."

"You're still a sucker, cause now we have you where we want you."

Mac could not believe this. He had fallen for their plan. Now, they had him in a dangerous situation. He had to get in contact with Martha to warn her. He did not know how he would do that because he was sure this crowd would be watching every move he made. "How did you know where to find me?" he asked.

John sipped his wine again. "You know that drug bust you guys broke up?" he asked. "That was one of my operations. They just got careless. I know how it affected you when you faced death, and when we found out that you would be coming over here…well, I had to take my chances. I knew you would fall for a pretty face. After all, you're deprived…by your own choosing."

Mac glared at him. "That is none of your business!" he said.

John gestured to the chair. "Have a seat," he said.

Mac knew he had no choice right now. He sat down to hear this tangled web they were weaving with his head at the center. Samantha sat down beside him. Mac did his best not to move over away from her. He was steaming inside and he did not know how he would get out of this situation. He had to get word to Martha to protect Jessica and the other kids.

"There's a shipment coming in," John said. "I want you to take care of it for me."

"A shipment of what?" Mac asked.

"Oh, this and that. Only the shipment isn't mine. It belongs to a rival gang. I either want it destroyed or I want it for myself. It's worth a lot of money."

Mac rolled his eyes. "Well, what do you need me for?" he asked.

"I think all those skills you have would make it easy for me to obtain my goal."

Mac frowned. "And just where is this shipment supposed to come in?" he asked.

"Samantha there knows where. You don't need to know that until you get there. I take it that you're familiar with explosives."

Mac stared at the table a moment. "I am not going to help you do this," he declared.

John chuckled. "I know that you don't have a choice in that subconscious of yours," he said. "I know you care about that niece of yours. She's special to you and so is that sister of yours. I suppose the rest of your family is too."

Mac glared at him. "I want to know how you got all this information," he said.

"Like I said before, I have people all over the world who work for me. Whatever I need to achieve my plans, they find."

"How did you know I was coming here?"

"We have ways. I have people who know things."

"So, you've been targeting me all this time?"

"Of course. If I hadn't gotten you here, I would have gotten you in New York. I almost had you, but someone messed up my plans before that plan went through."

Mac frowned. "Carla?"

"Yeah, she was a great asset to me until someone messed that up, but you guys got to him before I did."

"So, you had all those men under your thumb?"

"Yes. It just looked like she was blackmailing them. They were really working for me, but you'd never prove it. You, on the other hand, weren't so easily seduced and well, those plans went down the drain and you even resisted Samantha, so I had to resort to more drastic measures."

Mac could not believe what he was hearing. He shook his head. How did he get into this? He had wanted to take a vacation and enjoy himself, but instead, all he could find was trouble. He thought if he ever got out of this, he was going up on a mountain somewhere and fishing in the loneliest stream he could find. If anyone showed up, he would leave.

"I think he's coming around," John said.

"Me too," Samantha agreed. She leaned on her hand and looked at Mac. "You know, maybe we can still have something together."

Mac glared at her. "You have got to be kidding," he said.

Samantha frowned. "You don't know what you're missing."

Mac leaned on the table. "I won't miss it."

They glared at each other for a moment, and then John cleared his throat. "That's not the issue here," he said. "The issue is my shipment. You're going to help Samantha sneak in there and blow up that shipment. And don't cross me, Detective."

Mac knew he had to do something about this. If he was caught in that mess, he would not be able to prove that he had been forced to do it. And this guy would be squeaky clean like always, hiding behind his real estate agency. Only this time, Mac would know the truth. He would have to keep himself from getting killed in this process or he would never get to divulge that information. However, he would only have his own word to prove it.

John hit the table with his hand to interrupt Mac's thoughts. "Are you with us, Detective?" he asked. "Do you often just drift off in thought like that?"

Mac stared at him a moment. "I have a lot on my mind," he said.

"I would imagine. But the thing I want you to get on your mind right now is how you're going to get into this warehouse when that shipment comes in." John laid a picture of the building on the table. "I'll have videos of it for you too so you can plan your strategy."

"If you can get all that, what do you need me for?"

"Cause, you're one of the best and I just kinda like getting the best into my organization."

"You get one thing straight! I am not in your organization! And I never will be!"

John leaned on the table. "You will be for now," he said. "And you'll do exactly as I say." He laid another picture on the table.

Mac thought he lost his breath when he saw the picture. He stared at it a few moments to make sure he was seeing right. When Mac looked at John again, he almost flinched at the look in Mac's green eyes, almost as though there were fire there. John did not like that it almost made him nervous. He glared at Mac. "Now, do you see how serious I am?" he asked. "We found your little niece there driving around in that red Corvette of yours."

Mac thought he would not be able to speak. He was having a hard time keeping himself from going over that table and relieving the world of this horror that sat across from him in the form of a man. He did not know how these people had found out so much about him, but he intended to find out. He stared at the picture. Jessica was sitting in a chair taped to it and with her mouth taped. Mac could tell she had been crying.

"Now, before you go getting all heroic and trying to rescue her, you better remember that I am always in contact with my minions. They are ready at any time to get business done," John said.

Mac knew he was trapped now. His heart ached at the thought of what Martha must be going through right now and there was nothing he could do to comfort her. This had been going on for weeks. Their plans had fallen through when Carla was murdered and then they swung into a new plan when they knew he had left New York. He could hardly believe they had trapped him like that. Mac knew there had to be a woman in this world who would not get him into trouble. He looked at John. "When do you want me to do this?" he asked.

"Saturday night," John answered. "Samantha will accompany you and she will help you fight off anyone who causes you any trouble. The shipment has to be destroyed so that mine will be more valuable and more in demand."

Mac stood up. "Oh, and one more thing," John said. "You're staying here until it's convenient for you to leave. All your things are being brought from your boat."

"You can't hold me hostage here!" Mac said.

"I think I can. You don't have a choice." John looked at Samantha. "Show him to his room."

"Come with me," Samantha said.

Mac glared at her and then at John, but he went with her. He followed her up the stairs to a room that Mac thought was as big as his whole apartment. "I wish it didn't have to be this way," Samantha said.

Mac looked at her. "Get out!" he said. "You can forget anything that might have been between us!"

"Fine. You probably weren't that good anyway."

Samantha left the room. Mac glared at the door. He heard her lock it on the outside. He went over to the window and looked out, but there were bars on the window. He was trapped in this room, in this world. He took his cell phone out, but there was no service. He thought about throwing the phone at the window, but that would do him no good. They could not keep him cut off all the time. He rubbed his face as he thought of Jessica. She must be scared to death. He could not even let Martha know what had happened. He knew one thing for sure…when he was done with this crowd, there was going to be fewer gangsters operating in the world…

That evening, Samantha brought Mac a tray of food. "I think you'll enjoy the food," she said.

"I'm not hungry," Mac said as he stared out the window.

"You better eat. You can't function on an empty stomach. We'll be going to a briefing later this evening."

Mac looked at her. "How did you get into this?" he asked.

"I was born into it. It's not such a bad life."

Mac shook his head. "I can't believe I was taken in by you," he said. "I thought it was strange that he could be so close to you and you wouldn't know what he really is."

"Well, I always have been a good liar."

Samantha walked over to Mac. "We could have had something together," she said.

"Not now," Mac said. He backed up a step. "You'll be taken down with the others."

"You'll never win."

"We'll see."

Samantha left. Mac looked at the tray of food. He supposed he needed to eat or he would not be able to do anything. He took the lid off the plate. It definitely looked good with a steak and everything that went with it. He sat down at the table and began eating. He would figure something out…

Later that evening, Samantha came to get Mac. He wished he could overpower her and get out of here, but he was afraid that he would not be able to help Jessica in time…and he did not know if he could anyway. His heart grieved over his beloved niece. She had been so happy to see him and all he had brought her was trouble. _Just hang in there, Sweetie, _he thought. _I'll get you out of there. _

Mac had never seen such an organized meeting. There were people who knew every aspect of the mission they were about to embark on. He got detailed explanations about the inside of the building, where there were guards and where there were gaps in security, where there were cameras and where there were gaps in vision. Mac could hardly believe this. He thought he was learning why these crime organizations were so hard to take down. They were incredibly organized. He remembered studying this type of thing in college, but he had never seen it in person. John laid out Mac's mission with strict details and gave him maps and instructions about where to plant his explosives. "You have until Saturday to prepare your weapons," John said. "You'll have a workshop in the basement and helpers as well as guards to make sure you don't lose track of what you're supposed to be doing."

Mac just sat there steaming. He thought if a person's blood could boil, his was right now. He wished he could unleash his anger on this crowd right now, but that would only result in getting him killed and getting Jessica killed or worse. He had to do this right or he would doom himself and his whole family. He had to figure out how to get them out of this and bring this crowd down…and he would. This whole crowd could not be so faithful to John that they could not be persuaded to change their lifestyle…there must be one here somewhere who had a "weakness".

Mac was herded back to his room and locked in again. He sat on the bed and thought about Jessica. He had no way of knowing where she was or how to help her.

Just as Mac was about to go to bed and try to sleep, he heard someone unlocking the door. He thought it must be Samantha again. He figured she was coming to try and seduce him. If she thought she could do that, she had another thought coming. However, it was not Samantha. A man came into the room this time. "What do you want?" Mac asked.

"I brought you something," the man said. He stared at Mac a moment as he gave him a package. "This contains more instructions for you. Make sure you look at _all_ of it."

Mac looked at the man a moment. He noticed that inflection he put on 'all'. The man gave Mac one more look and a slight nod and then turned and left. Mac listened as the door was locked back. He thought that was strange. He looked at the large envelope that he had been given. He sat down on the bed and dumped the contents. There were several papers in the folder as well as a .50 caliber hand gun with no ammunition and a large combat knife. There was a black outfit that he supposed he was to wear when he went on his mission. He looked at the papers and came to one that was different than the others…

_Detective Taylor, do not worry about your niece. We have officers who have already located her. You're not alone. As soon as our plan goes into action, your niece will be rescued by our undercover officers. Just go along with the orders and wait for your cue to help in taking down this criminal organization. They will give you blank ammunition, so do not depend on it. We will make a switch of your ammo when the time is right so that you will have live ammo when they think you have none. _

Mac stared at the note for a moment, making sure he was not dreaming this. He remembered he was about to go to bed earlier. He did not think he was asleep. He was really looking at a note that said he was not alone and that Jessica was not in danger. He hoped they had gotten word to Martha, but they probably could not do that because she had to act like she did not know or it would mess up the plan and put the officers in danger. He did not know whether to be relieved or not because he knew how plans could fall through. At least he had some hope now.

Mac wondered what he should do with the note. There was a fireplace in this room, but he knew smoke might be smelled if he burned it…then again, they would never know what he burned. He thought maybe he would just burn the whole pile in rebellion. Then again, he had no matches. He was a scientist, but he did not see anything in this room that would help him make a fire. He took the note into the bathroom and soaked it in rubbing alcohol that he found under the sink until it came completely apart and the words faded and then flushed it down the toilet. Anyone would have a hard time figuring out anything on that and he did not think anyone would be so desperate, but he also knew that these organizations did not stay in operation by being careless.

Mac yawned as he went back to the bed. He pulled the covers back and lay down on the bed as he looked at the other papers in the envelope. It was mostly just what he had heard in their "meeting". He shook his head as he thought of the mess he was in. How did he get himself into this? He considered that. He did not get himself into this…someone was tracking him and laying traps for him. The man thought he was desperate. Mac did not consider himself desperate…he wanted companionship and love again, but he was not desperate. He was sure that John did not know the first thing about real love…all he knew about was "loyalty". Those were two different things to Mac.

Mac fell asleep looking at the documents he had been given. He was awakened by someone coming into the room. He sat up as he noticed someone in the room. He realized it was Samantha. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

Samantha came over to the bed. "I just wanted to see if you had changed your mind about us," she said.

Mac stood up. "You get out of this room!" he demanded.

Samantha put her hands on her hips. "Don't you get tired of being a detective in a thankless job where all you ever see are dead bodies?"

"NO, I never get tired of bringing justice to victims of people like you!"

Samantha walked closer to him. "Don't you ever want any pleasure for yourself?"

"Get out. If I ever get that desperate, I'll quit my job and move to a deserted island."

"You're a piece of work, aren't you?"

"Maybe I am, but I won't have you. How many more men have you seduced for your uncle?"

"We all have our duties."

"And you carry them out for his benefit."

"No, for the benefit of the organization."

"Is that what he tells you?"

Samantha glared at him. "I don't have to have anyone tell me! Besides, I'm not here for the organization this time. I'm here for you and me."

Mac shook his head in disgust. "Get out," he said again. "And don't forget to lock the door behind you."

Samantha folded her arms as Mac just turned his back to her and lay back down on the bed. She turned and went out the door. She had never met a man who was not interested in her at all. Her uncle had thought Mac was desperate, but if he was…why was he not interested in her? Other men found her very attractive and irresistible. Mac Taylor could not be that different. He must have some weakness. After all, she almost had him before. Was he that appalled at her job? What did that have to do with it anyway? All it was, was pleasure.

Mac stared at the window. He had to stay here for two days. What would that woman do next? Would he have to stay in this room the whole time? He drifted off to sleep again wondering what he was going to wind up doing…

The next morning, Mac woke up when someone came in with a breakfast tray. He noticed that even the chef…or waiter, butler…what did they call it in this house…anyway, the guy was carrying a gun like everyone else. He left Mac's tray on the table. Mac went over to it and lifted the plate cover. It looked like a good breakfast. He sighed. If it was not punishing his own self, he would refuse to eat. He sat down at the table and picked up the fork. Just then, someone else came into the room. It was Samantha this time and she had a tray with her. "I thought you might like some company," she said.

"Not from you," Mac replied bluntly.

"Oh, I'm not that bad, am I?"

Mac took a bite of his egg as Samantha sat down. "So, this is how it is," Mac said. "Anyone who wants to can come in this room, but I can't leave it."

"I suppose that's the way it is," Samantha said. "Of course, if you had a good word from someone around here, you might get a little more freedom."

Mac glared at her. "I won't be your playmate," he said.

Samantha leaned on the table. "You know that I almost had you the other night," she said. "Imagine what we could have accomplished by morning."

Mac frowned. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not interested?" he asked. "You may think you're irresistible, but your evil ways make you unattractive."

"You're lying."

"No, I'm not." Mac sipped his coffee and looked out the window. "I'm only here because I have to be."

"I would do anything you wanted."

Mac just pretended that he did not hear her and continued eating. He supposed she was like one of those little gnats that flew around in someone's face. It just keeps on buzzing around no matter how many times one swats at it. He thought he might know how to discourage this one…if he wanted to get pretty nasty about it. He did not like insulting women though, even if they were evil. He figured if he just ignored her she might get discouraged.

They ate in silence for a few minutes. "I really did enjoy the boat ride," Samantha said. She looked at Mac, but he did not even acknowledge that she said anything. "Did you really enjoy being alone all those days you were on the ocean?"

"If I knew what I know now, I would still be out there," Mac said.

"Oh, come now. You know it is better to have companions than to be alone."

"Not if your companions are evil crime bosses and people who have no respect for human life."

"Is that what you think I am?"

"Yes, it's what I 'know' you are. I'm sure if your uncle died, you would take over his business since you have been raised and taught to do it."

"You really think I would be capable of it?"

"I'm sure you would. Your life has revolved around it."

"I suppose I will take over the business…after all, everyone likes money, and Uncle has no other heirs. I guess that's why he chose me."

"Yes, I'm sure it is."

Samantha stared at Mac who had not even looked at her to answer. He just kept looking down at his plate and eating. She laid her fork down. "You could at least look at me," she said. "Or are you afraid to?"

Mac looked at her with cold green eyes. "There's nothing to see," he said coldly. He almost smiled at the rage in Samantha's eyes.

"You're lying! You know you find me attractive!"

Mac stared at her a moment. He thought this woman could not stand rejection. "Beauty is only skin-deep," he said. "Especially in your case."

Samantha jumped up from the table and shoved her plate of food off the table. "You're just trying to hurt me!" she said.

Mac looked at the mess in the floor. "It's a good thing you have a butler," he said calmly and just kept on eating.

Samantha was so angry, she wanted to lash out at Mac and make him pay for talking to her like that. Who did he think he was? She turned and went to the door. "You can rot in here!" she said, and went out the door.

Mac let himself laugh then. He could not help it. She was not used to rejection. He thought it was hilarious. He looked out the window again. He would know what this plan was soon, he supposed. He wanted to get this over with and get out of here. He would sail back to California and check on Martha and her kids and then he would go on where he had planned. He wished he had just done that at the start, but he needed that time alone. It would take longer to go back than it took to get here, so he supposed he would have even more time to get over this ordeal.

After he finished breakfast, Mac walked around the room. There was not even a TV in this room that he could see. He studied the mantle and noticed something that could be a hidden TV. He looked around for a remote and finally found one. It had what looked like a thousand buttons on it. He wondered what all there was in this room that was remote controlled. He pressed the TV button and a large screen TV came up from the mantle. He turned it on to see what was on. He pressed another button and a closet door opened. The closet looked like it was as big as his bedroom at home. He walked into it and found that all the clothes in there were his size. He wondered how long these people had been planning this. He stared at the clothes, which were anything from jeans and t-shirts to formal tuxedoes. He wondered how long they intended to keep him here.

Mac left the closet and then went into the bathroom. He realized he had not even been in there. He had been too upset to go he supposed. The bathroom was massive. Mac looked around it. He wondered if anyone was watching him in here.

When he was done in there, he went back to the bed and lay down to watch TV. It had been a long time since he had relaxed and watched TV, although he was not all that relaxed today. He watched TV a while and then looked at that remote again. There was a radio on it. He did not see a radio anywhere, so he pressed the button to see what happened. Music came on that seemed to come from the walls and the ceiling. He found a loud rock station and turned it up loud. He lay there on the bed and pretended to play a guitar to the music. He wondered how long he could do this before someone would get irritated.

As Mac was enjoying the music, someone came into the room. The visitor was John Henderson this time. Mac stared at him a moment. "What do you want?" Mac asked.

"Shouldn't you be studying your plans?" John asked.

Mac looked at the envelope that was lying on his bed. "You mean this?" he asked.

"Yes. Why aren't you familiarizing yourself with it?"

Mac pretended to consider that. "Hmmm, maybe because I am NOT one of your employees and I don't care what happens."

John walked over to the bed and glared at Mac. "You will care!"

They glared at each other. "Why don't you stop sending your niece in here to try and seduce me?" Mac asked. "She doesn't have a chance."

"You're a foolish man," John declared.

"I don't think I'm foolish. You're the foolish one because you think you're invincible."

"I _am_ invincible. If you think you're going to take me down, you're going to find that you're wrong."

"We'll see, won't we?"

"You'll see your niece brutally murdered is what you'll see."

Mac had to use all the self-control he had within him to keep from grabbing this man and showing him what he thought of him. John smiled an evil grin. "You'd like to kill me, wouldn't you?" he asked. "You're a murderer at heart."

Mac glared at him. "I'm no murderer, but if I could right now, I would kill you."

"Why don't you go ahead then? Why don't you let your rage take over?"

"What are you trying to do?"

Mac looked toward the door and noticed a bodyguard outside the door. "Are you trying to get me to attack you so you can sic your bodyguard on me?" he asked.

John straightened up and frowned. "You'll do what you're told or you know what will happen," he said.

"Yeah, but even if I do what you want, you'll still kill her and you'll try to get me killed too so I can take the blame for your operation."

John nodded slightly. "Hmm, you're pretty clever," he said. "However, the more you cooperate, the longer you and your niece will survive."

Mac rolled his eyes and just lay down on the bed to watch more TV. "Don't let the door hit you in the butt on your way out," he said. He snapped his fingers. "Oh, I forgot, you lock it, don't you?"

John was getting angrier by the minute at this man who was not the least bit afraid of him. People were supposed to be afraid of him. He was a powerful man and he could have anyone killed on a whim and get away with it. "You're going to start seeing things my way," he said.

"I doubt it," Mac replied. "We're on opposite ends of the spectrum and you're going to start seeing things _my_ way."

John laughed. "I can't believe you!" he said. "You act like you're in control here! I think being the head of that crime lab over there has done something to your brain! You actually think you can right all the wrongs in this world!"

"No, I don't. But I right the ones that get in my face."

"You must have unsolved cases!"

Mac grinned slightly. "Actually, I solved my last unsolved case," he said. "I righted all the wrongs that were presented to me."

John frowned. "The only things that are wrong to you are the things that don't go along with your way of thinking. You think you're right about everything. Don't you pay any attention to history? Rebellion is what made the world what it is today!"

Mac stared at him a moment. "Your kind of rebellion is not what made the world what it is…except an evil place to live. People like you are what make the world bad for the rest of us."

"The rest of us! We're all made from the same stuff!"

"Yeah, we are, but you don't know what an honest day's work is."

John went to the door. "You're still going to do my bidding tomorrow night, and you better not screw up because things won't go good for you or your niece!"

John went out and slammed the door. Mac chuckled. He would not let that man think that he had him under his thumb. He would get him under his own thumb and then he would press hard…


	7. Chapter 7

Saturday night finally came after what seemed like forever to Mac. Samantha had apparently given up on her quest for him. She glared at him as she gave him the ammunition, which Mac knew was the blanks. "Better say your prayers," she sneered.

Mac gave her a hard look. "Maybe you should," he remarked.

He watched Samantha walk away from him. He could not believe he was involved in something like this. He had no idea what the plan was to stop this operation, but he knew it better be well thought out or someone was going to get killed. The same man who had brought Mac the letter came over to him. "Come with me," he said and turned.

Mac followed him and was hauled into a black SUV. He found himself in the middle between two other guys and two others in the front. They were soon on their way. "Detective Taylor," one of the men said. "We're all in this together."

Mac stared at him a moment, finding it hard to believe that everyone in this vehicle had penetrated this organization without John knowing it. However, the man who had just spoken took out a box of ammunition. "Take out that blank clip," he said.

Mac took the clip from his weapon. "How did you get into this?" he asked.

"It wasn't easy. By the way, I'm Tom, over there is Marty, the driver up there is Gary and then Norman. We're with the FBI. We checked you out and found out who you were when we heard them start planning to recruit you."

Mac stared at them all. Tom gave him a clip of live ammo. He put it into the weapon. "So, what are we planning to do?" he asked. "And if you knew they were going to 'recruit' me, why didn't you let me know it?"

"Because we could have blown our cover and ruined the whole operation. We have been after this guy for a long time here in Hawaii. Now, we have our chance to take him down."

"So, how are we taking him down if he's not with us?"

"Don't worry, we have enough evidence against him. We just want to get this shipment in the process."

"So, there's going to be a raid?"

"Yes. We'll take him and the other one down too."

Mac could not believe he was in this. He had been in big operations before, but nothing like this. "So, this is an FBI operation?" he asked.

"Yes. We have been working on it a long time, like I said."

"Well, I hope this doesn't turn out sour for any of us. Are you sure my niece is safe?"

"Yes. We will give the word to the other agents before we start this. It will be too late for John to do anything about it."

Mac hoped that was right, but he knew how important it was for them to take down organizations like this when they had the chance. He was nervous though. He wanted to see his little niece again and see her happy. He could not stand it if she was scarred for life and was not happy like she had been before. He remembered how excited she had been when he gave her the keys to his Corvette.

"Don't worry, Detective, she will be okay," Tom said. "I promise."

Mac looked at him. "I can't help but worry," he said. "She's very special to me."

"I understand. I have a daughter of my own."

"Let's just get this over with so I can get back to her and comfort her. It will take me a long time to sail back over there."

"You realize this guy has connections everywhere?"

"Yes, I realize it."

"These organizations are hard to clean out, but we intend to get all we can."

"I intend to help you with this and then I am going back to California and then I am going on the rest of my vacation."

"Good luck."

Soon they arrived at a warehouse out at the harbor. It looked much like the harbor in New York with all the large crates and ships, warehouses. It looked like a jumbled up mess when one did not know where they were going. They all got out of the SUV and met the others who had arrived in another SUV, including Samantha. She was dressed in her black ninja outfit again. Mac could see the spiteful look in her blue eyes though. He knew she would be aiming for him if she figured out that their plan was falling through, but he would get her first and then he would go and take John down too…he would pay for threatening his family.

Mac had his bombs ready that he had constructed last night. He would leave them so they would not explode, but Samantha would never know it. He had not put the trigger mechanism in the bombs. They could not detonate without it. He just hoped they could get this situation under control before someone realized it. Samantha walked over to him. "Are you ready?" she asked, glaring at him.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Mac replied and rubbed black shoe polish on his face. It had been a long time since he did this. He remembered when he had to do that in the Marines. He figured his pores still had some of that stuff in them.

"We all know the plan," Samantha said. "Everyone keep their part of the operation going and everything will work out right."

They headed for the warehouse which was about the third one. It was very dark in this area where they were, but there was a lot of activity going on at the shipping yard. Mac could hear machinery working and he could hear boat horns and other noises one would hear at the harbor. He could even hear people yelling. They soon came to the warehouse where the goods they were after were apparently being stored. Samantha looked at them all and gave motions for which way everyone was to go. She looked at Mac and gave him the indication that he was to follow her. He followed her around the building as the others went to opposite sides. Mac followed Samantha up a ladder, and they climbed into the upper window of the warehouse. They squatted behind a stack of crates and looked down into a busy warehouse.

Mac could not believe it. "You expect us to get down there and plant these in the middle of all that?" he whispered.

Samantha looked at him. "Yes," she answered. "You just follow me."

Mac rolled his eyes. He thought there must be at least fifteen people down there and that was besides guards. He could see people walking around the perimeter with weapons…and they looked like automatic weapons too. Mac knew they could fill them full of holes in a few seconds. He had a .50 caliber handgun, but it could only fire one round at a time. He knew it was a deadly weapon and it only took one round to kill, but against an automatic weapon…it was rather slow.

Mac followed Samantha around to the other side of the loft where they met someone. "Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked, but that was the last thing he said. Mac stared as Samantha took the guy out with little effort.

Samantha looked at him with cold blue eyes. "Now, let's move," she whispered.

Mac knew she was dangerous. He would have a fight on his hands when he had to take her down. He was glad he was learning that now. At least he would know what to expect. He had known she would be pretty dangerous anyway. They soon came to some stairs and made their way down behind another stack of crates. "Plant one here," Samantha whispered.

Mac knelt beside the stack of crates and planted one of his phony bombs. He hoped Samantha would not realize his scheme until it was too late. He knew she had to be knowledgeable or she would not be leading this mess. "Hurry up!" Samantha whispered.

Mac finished what he was doing and then followed her on to the next location. He wondered how no one was seeing them in here. Then again, it was very dark and they were dressed in black. The light in the place seemed to be concentrated toward the middle of the warehouse, but where he and Samantha were, it was dark.

Suddenly, someone yelled, "Hey!"

Mac looked up to see someone looking that way. "Get that bomb set!" Samantha said.

Mac watched her spring into action as the place erupted into chaos with shouts and even gunfire. Mac put another of his fake bombs behind the crate he was at. Suddenly, a guy came around the other side of the stack of crates. Mac grabbed the weapon the man was aiming at him and shoved him backward. The guy pulled the trigger causing the weapon to spray bullets up into the ceiling. They struggled over the weapon and Mac tripped the guy by pulling his legs out from under him. That caused the guy to lose his grip on the weapon a little and Mac finally got it away from him. Then the man punched Mac, knocking him backward. Mac rammed the butt of the gun into the guy's face, knocking him out cold.

Mac got up and looked around to see where Samantha had gotten to. She was fighting another guy. Mac could see that she could handle herself, but there were others closing in. He fired the weapon over their heads. "Hold it!" he yelled. Just then, the rest of the team came into the warehouse. However, it was known very soon that they were not on the side of Samantha's organization.

Mac watched as Samantha whirled around toward him with a glare as hard as steel. "Don't even try it," he said.

Instead of trying to come toward him, Samantha turned and ran. Mac went after her, but she disappeared into the darkness. He went out the door and saw her running toward the harbor. He went after her knowing that she could get away if she got into that area of work going on. Mac could hear machinery even louder now that they were nearing the shipping yard. Samantha was a blur in the darkness with that black outfit on, but he was trying to keep his eyes on her. He could also hear all the chaos going on at the warehouse.

Suddenly, Mac stopped as he did not see Samantha. He took out is handgun and began searching between the trailer crates. He knew she was here somewhere, but he did not hear anything like someone running in this gravel. He listened but…nothing. He went on to the next cargo crate. Just as he was about to come around the corner of it, Samantha suddenly appeared. She kicked him in the chest before he had time to react. She was incredibly fast and was upon him before he could move. She punched him in the stomach and kicked the weapon from his hand. Mac realized she was going after the weapon and grabbed her around the waist and they both fell. However, this was a fighting woman. She elbowed Mac in the face, but he grabbed her arms and rolled over trying to get the best of her, but she was not finished.

Samantha twisted in his grasp and managed to get her arms from his hands. Then she rammed her elbow into his groin. Mac lost his grip on her then, and she was on her feet and whirled around toward him in a second. She tried to kick him, but Mac grabbed her foot and jerked it causing her to fall backward, but she came up with her other foot and kicked him in the face. She was on her feet again before Mac could move and she was still trying to get that weapon. Mac knew he could not let her get that or she would free him from all his worries the hard way.

Mac got to his feet and grabbed Samantha again. She rammed her elbow into his side with a yell. Then she tried to twist his arm…however, Mac was ready for her this time. He rammed his elbow into her face and then twisted her arm around. "You're hurting me!" she screamed.

Mac realized she was trying to make this look like he was attacking her. He knew there were men out here in this shipping yard and they might take action first and ask questions later. "Shut up!" he yelled. "That won't work!"

Samantha screamed as loudly as she could, but Mac grabbed her mouth. Then he heard someone yell, "Hey, what's going on back there?"

Mac kept his hand over Samantha's mouth and grabbed her around the waist with his other arm and dragged her out of sight. She was fighting the entire way, however and making plenty of noise. Mac looked toward the warehouse, but it was too far away for him to hope for reinforcements. From the sounds of things, he figured everyone over there was occupied anyway. Samantha was still wearing the mask so she could not bite Mac's hand through that. She stomped his foot with her heel. Mac almost cried out with pain, but he gritted his teeth. He could hear the men walking around out there and he could see flashlights.

"Hey, look at this!" someone said.

"Man, that looks like a desert eagle!" another said.

Mac knew they had found that weapon he had. He was having to use all his strength just to keep Samantha in his grasp. She rammed her heel into his leg and scraped down with the heel. Mac felt the hide being scraped off and felt blood coming with it. Samantha shoved backward and caused Mac to stumble back into one of the cargo containers. "Hey, who's over there?" someone yelled.

Mac knew he was in trouble. They would see a man taking advantage of a pretty woman when she took that mask off. He dragged her further down to see if the door of the container was locked. It was not, so he got the door open and went inside to cross over to the other side and get out that way. As he was going out the other door, he heard the men coming in the one on the other side. Samantha finally managed to ram her elbow into his side again. Then she got loose from Mac's arms and suddenly, she had a knife.

Samantha came at Mac with the knife and he grabbed her hand just as some of the men came from the container. "Hey, what's going on out here?" one of them asked as he shined a flashlight right on them.

Mac almost lost his grip as the light invaded his vision. Samantha suddenly jerked the mask off her head. "He's trying to rape me!" she screamed as though she were terrified.

"NO!" Mac yelled. "That is not true!"

"He punched me!"

The men could see that Samantha had a bloody nose. Mac stared at them as they turned their attention to him. He had a bloody nose too, but that was not the same thing. "I'm a police officer!" he said. He backed up a step as the men moved toward him. He knew that was not going to work since he did not have his badge with him. He turned and ran, but they were hot on his trail.

Mac knew if those guys caught him, they would show no mercy. After all, he had been fighting with Samantha, and they did not know him from any other lowlife.

Mac ran out from between the cargo containers and headed back toward the warehouse. He could hear them coming after him. Those guys were plenty big enough to take him apart because they worked hard out there on that dock. Mac tried to run faster. He was pretty far from the warehouse but he did not know anywhere else to run to and get help. No one else around here knew him. Samantha had escaped anyway. She had known how to get him into trouble and she used it.

Mac was running as fast as he could but he could hear someone behind him. He felt a hand try to grab the back of his shirt. He tried to run faster, but then someone grabbed him and threw him to the ground. Then he was surrounded as the guy jerked him up off the ground. "Listen!" Mac yelled. "I'm a police officer under cover! You can ask them over there at the warehouse! I chased that suspect over there! She's a martial artist!"

They shoved Mac against the wall of the building they were at. "If you're a cop, where's your badge!" one of the men asked.

"I don't have it with me! I just told you!"

"Why should we believe you?"

"Because it's the truth!"

They all stared at Mac a moment. "Man, we better check this out before we do something stupid," one of them said.

"Where's that woman?" one of the others asked.

"She was back there with Harry."

Mac swallowed hard. "She won't be there when you go back," he said.

"Are you telling us that that little woman beat you up and you think she'll get away from old Harry?"

Mac stared at the man. "She might be a woman, but she's a mean one!" he said.

"I don't believe him, Aaron," one of the other men said.

"Neither do I, Will. What should we do with him?"

"We haven't had a good fight in a long time," Will said.

"Hey, you guys, you better check this out first," one of the others warned. "If he's a cop, you could get sent to prison. Now, how do you know he's not telling the truth? Why would he make up this story?"

"To keep us from beating him to a pulp," Aaron said.

Mac tried to get out of Aaron's grip, but he only gripped tighter. "I'm telling you, she's lying!" Mac said. "I'm telling you the truth!" Mac was still trying to get his breath back after that long run and fight, not to mention, he was nervous about this situation.

Will held up the weapon Mac had. "This gun ain't no standard issue," he said. "Since when do cops carry this kind of weapon?"

"I can explain that," Mac said.

"I think he can explain everything," Aaron said.

"I ain't gonna be part of this," the other guy said. He backed up. "You guys better see if he's telling the truth." He turned and headed back to the freight yard.

Some of the others left too, leaving Mac with Will and Aaron. Mac knew these two were itching for a fight. "That was a mighty pretty woman," Will said. He glared at Mac. "I don't know if I believe you or not."

"Well, since we don't know…" Aaron said.

Mac bent double as Aaron hit him in the stomach with his fist. Mac thought he would not get his breath back. He gasped as they jerked him back up. He knew he was going to have to fight his way out of this. He was already tired from that fight he had with Samantha. Will swung his fist at Mac's face, but Mac ducked and he hit the cargo container. Will whimpered and grabbed his broken hand. Mac kicked Aaron as he was shocked at what just happened.

Mac took off running toward the warehouse again. He was gasping for breath as he ran, but he did not hear anyone coming after him this time. He finally reached the warehouse. He stopped and leaned on the wall to try and get his breath back. He was almost bent double and then someone came from the warehouse. Mac whirled around just in time to see Tom who was aiming his weapon. "Don't shoot!" Mac said, breathlessly.

"Where have you been?" Tom asked.

Mac tried to get enough breath to tell him. "I chased Samantha out there, but she got away by convincing those men out there that I was trying to rape her."

Tom stared toward the freight yard. "She's long gone," he said.

"They have that weapon I had. We need to get it back."

"We'll get it."

Mac grimaced as his stomach still hurt as well as other areas. He looked at Tom. "What about my niece?" he asked.

"She's safe and secure," Tom replied.

Mac slid down the wall and sat down. He had to get his breath back. Tom came over to him. "You alright?" he asked.

"I have to get my breath back," Mac said.

"Come on." Tom helped him up and they went back around to the vehicles. "The mission was successful. Our other operatives at the house got John too." Tom looked toward the freight yard. "I wish we had gotten Samantha too. She is dangerous."

"Don't I know it?" Mac asked. He was glad this was over…but he knew it would not be over until Samantha was captured. He knew she would come after him again. She was not the type to give up that easily…

A few days later, Mac was sitting on the deck of his boat sipping his coffee, watching the sun come up. He had gotten in touch with Martha after that whole incident and found out that they were all fine. Jessica was shaken and scared, but she was going to be fine. Tom had given Mac the weapon that he used the night before so that he would have something to defend himself while he was sailing. He had even taken some of the clothes from the house because John had bought them for him anyway. Mac smiled at that thought. John apparently thought he could keep him there for a long period of time. Mac had thought he enjoyed seeing John taken away in handcuffs after his hearing.

As the sun rose, Mac put his shades on and loosed his boat from the pier. He was ready to go. Hawaii was beautiful and he loved it, but he was ready to leave. He had no idea how long it would take him to get back to California since he would not have a prevailing wind to push him along. He thought he might be drifting more than sailing. He got out of the harbor and set sail. He had not seen any sign of Samantha and no one had reported seeing her. Mac was sure she was somewhere and aware of where he was. He had that weapon with him this time and he would not hesitate to use it.

It took almost 27 days to get back to California. Mac thought that was a lonely ocean out there. He had not even seen any ocean life this time. He maneuvered the boat into its slip and he was ready to get out. As he was getting his things out of the cabin to lock it up, he heard someone yell, "Uncle Mac!"

Mac looked around to see Jessica running down the pier. He had to choke back tears as his heart swelled with joy at seeing her. He got off the boat and Jessica ran into his arms. She was sobbing and Mac let a few tears escape as well. "I'm so sorry," he whispered.

"It wasn't your fault," Jessica said.

"I had no idea they were tracking me." Mac looked at her. "Are you okay?"

Jessica nodded. "I'm going to the police academy," she declared. "I've decided what I want to do."

Mac kissed her forehead and hugged her again. Then he saw Martha and the others coming down the pier. Martha hugged Mac. "Oh, Mac," she said as she broke down in his arms.

Mac cried with her. At the moment, he did not care who saw him. He was so glad to see them. Martha looked at Mac and wiped the tears off his face. "I see you found that Mac Taylor that was lost out there," she commented.

Mac looked at her a moment. "It wasn't easy," he said. "He wanted to hide and elude me."

They helped Mac get his things from the boat and they all went to the van and back to Martha's house. "How long are you staying, Uncle Mac?" Jessica asked. "Daddy had to go to Arizona."

"I don't know how long I'm staying. I have been gone for almost two months. I'm on leave and I have to make up my mind what I want to do with my life."

"What do you think you want to do?"

"I don't know yet, but you're going to be okay. You just do what you want to do."

"I feel safe with you, Uncle Mac."

"Your mother and father will take care of you, Jessica."

"Daddy is hardly ever here. He's always off on a case."

"He's trying to earn a living."

"Why can't he take cases here? We live in a big city full of people who need a lawyer."

"Don't criticize your father. He's doing the best he can."

"I want to go with you."

Mac stared at her a moment. "Why?" he asked. "I sure wouldn't have any time for you. I'm out at crime scenes at all hours of the night. Your mother is here for you."

"She leaves sometimes and I have to take care of the little ones."

"But not all the time."

Jessica just looked at Mac a moment with her arms folded. "When I get eighteen, I'm coming to New York where you are," she said. "I'm going to college there and going to the police academy."

"That's not up to me," Mac said. "You better do what's best for you."

"I think that 'is' best and I want to be with you."

"Why?"

"Because you're alone and I love you."

"Don't do stuff like that because of my loneliness. I know where you guys are."

"But you never come over here."

"I'm here now."

"But you're leaving."

"I have to."

"Then I'm coming where you are when I can."

"We can do something together tonight. I'm not leaving until morning," Mac said. "Maybe we can go see that new movie tonight."

"Really?" Jessica asked excitedly.

"Yes, really. I wouldn't mind taking in a movie."

"I have to tell mother!"

Mac watched Jessica run up the stairs. He looked out the window and thought about what she said. He was not sure he wanted her to move to New York and take on the life he had. He did not want her to end up in the shape he was in…lonely, always working, never sleeping. He hoped she would not end up like that. Maybe her life would turn out different even if she did move to New York. Maybe she would meet a young man and have a good life. Danny and Lindsey had a good life. He hoped things could work out for Jessica too.

That night, Mac and Jessica went out to his Corvette and went out to the movie theatre. "This is so awesome!" Jessica said as they went into the theater. "Let's get a big bucket of popcorn and share!"

"Oh, let's not eat too much," Mac replied, but he smiled.

They ordered an extra large popcorn, which was so big, Mac had to carry it with both arms. "Are you sure we can eat all this?" he asked.

"We're going to work on it," Jessica said.

They got a large drink and then went into the theater. "At least we won't have to get up and get more," Jessica said.

Mac chuckled. "Yeah, we're liable to be running to the bathroom," he said.

Jessica laughed. Mac looked at her. "Wouldn't you rather be at this movie with your boyfriend?" he asked.

"I can go to a movie with him anytime," Jessica said. "I don't get to see you very often."

They got comfortable in the chairs and began snacking on the popcorn. "What makes you want to be a cop?" Mac asked.

"You," Jessica said. "You make a difference in the world. I want to make a difference too. I think that it's an honorable profession and I can help people."

Mac considered that. Did he really make a difference? Sometimes he thought he did not make a difference at all. Things seemed to spiral out of control and there was so much crime, they could never stop it all. He had solved his last unsolved case. "I don't know how much of a difference I make, but I guess I bring closure to families," he said.

"I'm sure you do. That's what I want to do. Is it hard to get through training?"

Mac smiled. "You're asking me? I went through Marine training."

"Oh, Uncle Mac. Is it hard?"

"Well, if it was easy, it wouldn't teach you anything about yourself."

Jessica considered that. "I suppose you're right. I want to do the very best I can."

"Why do something if you're not going to do your best?"

Soon, the movie started. Mac had not seen this movie yet, but it was the newest of the summer. Transforming robots. He had to admit, it had awesome effects. When the movie was over, they went out to the Corvette. "That was so awesome!" Jessica said. "I have to go see that with my friends!"

"Aw, I thought you would rather see it with Uncle Mac," Mac replied with a smile.

"Yeah, but they would love it!"

"Hey, I thought it was pretty groovy myself."

Jessica laughed as they got into the car. "No one says that anymore!"

"I know," Mac laughed. "I just wanted to see your reaction."

They went back to the house and Jessica was talking a hundred miles an hour telling about the movie and then she ran upstairs to get her phone and tell all her friends. Mac and Martha sat down at the dining table. "She is going to remember this for a long time," Martha said.

"I know," Mac replied. He looked at Martha for a moment. "Why does she love me so much?"

"Mac, she adores you and you are her idol. She wants to go into law enforcement now. I wouldn't be surprised if she started working for the FBI."

Mac looked at his coffee cup. "That's a dangerous job," he said.

"She is determined now. She looks up to you, Mac. You just don't know how much. Why don't you talk to her about it?"

"I think that's your job. You're her mother."

"Well, I know she doesn't want to be a lawyer. She hates it because her father is gone so much because of his job."

"She mentioned that. I told her not to judge her father because of his job."

"He wasn't here when all this happened to her and then he left again."

Mac leaned on the table and sipped his coffee again. He could remember guys they had investigated and found out that they had two families and each family did not know that the other existed. Mac hoped that was not what was going on here. He thought he would get on the big brother patrol if he found out that he was two-timing his sister, especially with all the diseases out there. He thought it was strange that he ran off for a case when his daughter needed him so badly. Mac thought either money was very important to Jeff or there was something else going on.

Martha stared at Mac, noticing his silence. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Mac sipped his coffee. "I'm leaving in the morning," he said. "I plan to go to the South and see what I can find down there."

"What are you looking for, Mac?"

Mac considered that. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe I'll know it when I find it."

"I hope you find it."

Mac looked at her. "What do you think I'm looking for?"

Martha sipped her coffee. "I think you're looking for happiness," she said. "I hope you find a woman down there that will totally blow you away and you can't resist her."

Mac smiled and shook his head. "I'm beginning to think there's not one that's not involved in crime," he said.

"Oh, yes there is, dear brother. You just might find her in the South."

"It's gonna be hard to trust someone again after all this."

"Everyone's not a criminal."

Mac looked at her. "I know that. I intend to enjoy this drive though."

"You do that, but you look around and find something that can make you happy. You deserve to be happy like everyone else."

"How do you know I'm not happy the way I am?"

"Because, I know what you were like when you were happy…not just on the outside."

Mac knew she was right. He intended to find out something about Jeff too. He would not tell her that until he found out if what he thought was true or not. If it was…he did not want to think of what he might do if he found out that he was doing that to his sister. Mac noticed Martha was staring at him. "You're hiding something from me," she said.

"Like what?" Mac asked.

"What are you thinking about? And don't tell me that it's about your trip tomorrow."

"I'm just thinking." Mac looked at his watch. "I think I better get up there and get some sleep. I want to get up early."

"Okay. Sleep well."

"You too."

Mac went up to his room. He packed everything up and got a shower before he got into bed. He lay there and stared at the ceiling. He would swing through Arizona on his way. He would like to see the Grand Canyon anyway. It was not too far from Flagstaff. He understood that was where Jeff was. He would go down there and find out what was going on.


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, Mac was up before sunrise. He saw the first break of day as the sunbeams came through the mist in the back yard. He had to get going, but he was having his morning cup of coffee first. Soon, Martha came down the stairs. "Mac, are you leaving this early?" she asked.

"Yes," Mac replied. "I have to get going. I've been gone from work for almost two months. I have to go on and get this done and get back to New York."

"Okay, but aren't you going to tell the kids goodbye?"

Mac considered that. "Can't you just tell them that I had to go? I spent a lot of time with them yesterday."

"Are you sure you don't want to tell Jessica that you're leaving?"

"Just tell them that I love them. I'll be back some day."

Martha hugged Mac. "Don't let it be so long this time," she said.

"I'll try not to," Mac replied.

Mac got his bags and went out to his Corvette. He loaded everything and headed out. He wanted to get out of Los Angeles before rush hour. There was not that much traffic this early in the morning. He drove through and got out before 7 am. He was on his way now. He turned a CD on and turned it up loud as he put his shades on. He planned to go up to Interstate 40 and go over to Flagstaff. That Interstate went right to it. He would go up and see the Grand Canyon before he hunted Jeff down. He wanted to make sure he got to see the Canyon before he got into anymore trouble. He sighed as he thought of that. He had to always find trouble. He supposed that's the way it was when one was a detective. They always had to be "detecting" trouble and had to figure out what was really going on. Then again, he did not know that anything was going on besides just what Jeff had said.

Mac looked down the road he was traveling on, which was the road that connected him to Interstate 40. It was beautiful with its mountains and valleys. Southern California was definitely beautiful. He thought he would rather live somewhere else though. He thought he wanted to live out in the wide open spaces of the West somewhere, but nothing so crowded as L.A.

Mac stopped at a gas station when he got to Barstow, California. He filled up with gas and bought some bottled water. It would be a long drive, and even part of it was across some desert. Barstow was where he would get on Interstate 40, and there were not that many towns between here and Kingman, Arizona. There were a few, but he had no idea what they consisted of. He had seen little towns before that only consisted of a community center and a church, and maybe a town hall. He supposed that was all they needed to be a town, and a few people who formed a community. He supposed the county sheriff was the law in those towns…unless they took care of their own problems.

Mac turned onto Interstate 40 and headed out again. This Interstate went all the way across the country. He had thought before that he would like to just get on this road and go from coast to coast. He loved the United States and it had a lot of beauty to see. He supposed one could not see it all in a lifetime unless they spent their whole life exploring it, but then again, one had to spend their lifetime going to school and working in order to have the money to explore anything. Mac shook his head; well, he could see some of it now.

As Mac arrived in Kingman, Arizona, it was already night, but there was still some light even at 8:30 pm. Summer days were so long and it was definitely hot this year. The whole country had been baking this summer. It had been a long, cold winter, but it had been a long, hot summer too. Mac usually did not complain about the weather, because he knew when it was cold, that hot summer was on its way and when it was hot, that cold winter was coming. One could not have it perfect all the time. He just enjoyed the fall and spring while they lasted. The past Spring had been a violent one for parts of this country though. Violent tornadoes had ravaged places and wiped some places off the map almost, even larger cities had been torn to pieces. He had never been through anything like that and he could not imagine such a horror.

Mac yawned as he searched for a hotel in Kingman. There were plenty of them. He supposed he would go to the Hampton Inn. It was always a good hotel. He hoped it would not take long to get a room because he was tired. He pulled into the parking area and went into the lobby. It was a nice place alright. It was spacious and clean. He checked in and then got his duffle bag from the car after he put a few essentials into it. It was still hot outside even at this time of night, although it was a dry heat. That humid heat was what was hard to deal with. One could get too hot really quick in humid heat.

Mac went to his room and went inside. He thought he would just wait until morning to take a shower. He was tired from driving all day. He thought he might just spend the day here tomorrow and enjoy all the luxuries of this hotel. They had a workout gym, a pool and everything. He thought he could take a day to do something besides drive and he would visit the Grand Canyon tomorrow too since it was not far from here. He would do that and then he would go to Flagstaff and find Jeff.

The next morning, Mac woke up feeling more rested. He had not heard a sound during the night and he did not think he had even dreamed. That was a rare event for him not to even dream. He stretched and yawned as he thought of what all he would do today. He thought he could just stay here in this bed all day, but he had to get going if he wanted to accomplish his goals. He hoped he would not find out anything terrible going on with Jeff.

That afternoon, Mac went to the Grand Canyon. He stepped up to the lookout to look down into the Canyon. It was definitely "grand". The Colorado River was beautiful down there. It made one a little dizzy to look down that far, but it was beautiful anyway. Sometimes he wished he was on a horse going across this countryside. He thought cowboys of the old West probably saw more beauty than he would ever see. They saw it at a trot instead of 70 miles per hour.

Mac stayed there for a while and then headed on to Flagstaff. He would be there after dark so he supposed he would have to wait until tomorrow to find Jeff, whose last name was Stuart. He had often teased his sister about having a famous name, although it was spelled different. She had warned him about teasing her about such things. Mac smiled as he remembered her punching his shoulder when he teased her at her wedding about becoming famous by marriage.

The next morning, Mac woke up in a hotel in Flagstaff. He had just chosen a cheap one this time. He hoped he could locate Jeff in this city. He got a shower and dressed in jeans and a green t-shirt. He ate a quick breakfast and then went over to the local police station. As he walked in, he could hardly believe the size. It was a small police station compared to the one in New York, but then again, New York was a large city and had to have a lot of police. He walked up to the counter and showed his ID to the officer. "I'm looking for someone," Mac said. "His name is Jeff Stuart, he's an attorney."

The officer thought a moment. "Yeah, I know him," he said. "You need a lawyer?"

"No, I'm just looking for him. He's my brother-in-law."

"Oh, is Tracy your sister?"

Mac frowned. "Tracy?"

"Yes, that's his wife's name. They live out on Lockett Drive." The officer stared at Mac a moment. "I suppose you know that though, don't you?"

Mac looked at him, trying to contain his anger. "Thanks," he said.

Mac went outside. He put his shades on and took two deep breaths trying to calm himself down. He went on to his car and found the street the officer had been talking about. He found a large brick house with a sign in the yard that said "The Stuarts". He stopped across the street and stared at the house trying to calm himself down before he went over there and confronted Jeff. When he thought he was ready, he went over to the house and walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. He waited and rang the bell again. Finally he heard someone unlocking the door. A woman was at the door. She had blonde hair and green eyes, but what Mac noticed most about her was the fact that she was pregnant. "Yes?" she said. "Can I help you?"

"Is this the residents of Jeff Stuart?" Mac asked.

"Yes, it is. Are you a client?"

"No…" Mac tried not to let his anger get to him. "I'm his brother-in-law."

The woman stared at him a moment. "His…you can't be his brother-in-law."

"Oh yeah?" Mac took his wallet out and showed her a picture of Martha and her family, including Jeff. He did not care what this woman thought. She might as well know she was married to a two-timer. "You're Tracy?"

She stared at Mac in disbelief. "There has to be some kind of mistake!" she said.

Mac held the picture up. "You call that a mistake?" he asked. "I'm not making this up. I didn't want to believe this was true, but I had my suspicions."

Tracy gasped and put her hand on her stomach. "I can't believe this."

"I'm sorry for upsetting you, but he has been married to my sister for twenty years. Now I find out that he has another family here. How many children do you have with him? How long have you been married to him?"

Tracy looked at him with tears on her face. "I can't believe this," she said again.

Mac sighed. "Is he here?" he asked.

"No, he's at the courthouse this morning."

"Is he gone a lot?"

"Yes. He takes trips to Los Angeles for clients."

Mac shook his head. "That's where my sister lives."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Detective Mac Taylor from New York. I knew there had to be something wrong when he ran off after what happened to his daughter over there. I know I wouldn't leave my daughter in that stress."

"We have three children," Tracy said. "Well, almost three. The other two are five and three."

Mac thought he would boil over. The five year old was almost the same age as Martha's youngest. "Like I said, I'm sorry for upsetting you like this, but I thought you should know. I have to tell my sister this too."

Tracy stared at him. "You had to come here and ruin our lives!" she said angrily. "Maybe he doesn't love your sister anymore!"

"You and my sister both have a five year old! Don't try to defend this piece of trash! He's a two-timing bigamist!"

Tracy slammed the door. Mac walked off the porch fuming mad. He got in his car and headed downtown to the court house. He would confront Jeff about this. He thought he might have to go back to California to tell Martha this. He did not know if he could tell her something like this over the phone or not. He found the courthouse and went inside. He showed his badge to the guards and asked them where Jeff Stuart was. He was in court.

Mac walked down to the right court room and went inside. He knew he could not disrupt the court, but he would see what was going on. He walked in and sat down in the back. Jeff was up talking at the moment. Mac could not believe people could get up and prosecute someone when they were breaking the law themselves. Jeff turned around toward the audience and almost lost his speech when he saw Mac in the back. Mac glared at him to let him know that he knew what was going on. Jeff stared at Mac a moment. Mac's hard gaze did not falter.

When the court session was out, Jeff got his briefcase and looked around to see Mac waiting at the door of the courtroom. Jeff swallowed as he went on to meet him. "Mac, what brings you to Flagstaff?" he asked.

"I think you know," Mac replied. "I was hoping it wasn't true."

"Can we talk somewhere else?"

"Why? Are you afraid that people around here are going to find out that their prosecutor is breaking the law himself?"

"Can you keep your voice down?"

"NO!" Mac grabbed Jeff by the collars and shoved him against the wall. "How dare you do something like this to my sister! You have a beautiful family over there and you do something like this! You deserve for everyone to know about this! And they will, trust me!"

Jeff shoved Mac back a step. "I'll sue you for defamation of character!" he said.

Mac almost laughed. "You're kidding, right?" he asked. "The last time I checked, people who were breaking the law couldn't sue someone for getting them into trouble!"

"You're playing with the wrong person now, Mac! You think you can do whatever you want! Why don't you go back to New York where you're in charge and can threaten people? You can't threaten and get your way here."

Mac had to restrain himself to keep from punching this guy. "When I'm through with you, you'll know that I'm more than threats!" he said. He shoved the courtroom door open, popping it into the wall outside.

Everyone looked around at him. "Sorry!" Mac said and put his shades on. He was fuming mad and he did not care who knew it. He did not know how Jeff could get away with this. How could Martha not know about it? She was about to know. He got his phone out and called her. He spilled out the whole situation before he could stop himself. He would just let Martha handle it. She was an attorney. She would know how to get this mess straightened out when she got over the shock.

Martha was silent for so long, Mac thought she had fainted. "Martha, are you still there?" he asked.

"Yes, Mac, I am here," Martha said.

"I am so sorry for having to tell you something like this."

"Mac, why didn't you just stay out of it?"

Mac thought he must have heard that wrong. "What?" he asked.

"I thought he was probably doing something, but I didn't want to get into it! Now, you've torn everything apart. Why couldn't you just stay out of it?"

"Martha! Are you out of your mind? Do you want to be married to a man who had another family in another state? He's two-timing you! Do you realize he had you and this woman pregnant at the same time?!"

"What do you think this will do to the children when they find out?"

Mac could not believe what he was hearing. "Would you want someone to do this to Jessica?" he asked. "Or your other daughters? If you let him do this to you, they'll think it's okay!"

"Why don't you go on your vacation and let me handle it?"

"Martha, you can't be serious. Are you going to let this go on?"

"If I want to, I will. I want you to stay out of it."

Mac had to absorb that a moment. "I'm sorry I interfered then," he said. "I thought I was helping you. I have to go."

Mac ended the call. He could not believe this. His sister did not even care that her husband had another family? He thought he must be dreaming this. He remembered that she did not even mention Jeff when he was at the house. Maybe she was glad he was gone all the time. Was he not good to her? Mac blew out a long breath. He would just leave this up to Martha. He would not interfere. He certainly did not want to lose his only connection to his family. He would go on his vacation and just try to forget it…but he did not think he could forget something like this. He would certainly try…

As Mac got into Albuquerque, New Mexico, he was ready for a rest. He had been driving all day again. He found a hotel and checked in. As he was about to get ready for bed, there was a soft knock on the door. He wondered who would be coming to his door. He remembered that situation he had been in with Samantha…if that was even her real name. He was not sure. He looked at his suitcase where he had the .50 caliber weapon. He thought of getting it out, but he thought he was being paranoid. He went to the door. "Who's there?" he asked.

"Room service," a female voice said.

Mac left the chain on the door and opened the door a crack. Someone suddenly kicked the door open, knocking Mac back a little. Samantha came in the door and slammed it shut. Mac grabbed her hand that had a gun in it and they struggled over it. "I'm going to kill you!" Samantha declared.

Mac tried to overpower her, but this woman was strong. He could not get any footing much because she was trying to get him off balance so she could get him down. They finally fell on the bed with Mac on bottom. He rolled over and they fell off in the floor, knocking the nightstand over. That made a loud crash as a lamp broke. Mac was using all his strength almost just to keep her from getting that weapon to his head. He knew she intended to kill him. He tried to twist the weapon from her hand, but she kneed him in the groin. Mac almost lost his grip, but he drew his fist back and hit her in the face, knocking her out cold.

Mac took a moment to get his breath back. He was tired of fighting people. He got the weapon from her hand and got up. He called for security to come and get Samantha. When they arrived, he explained what happened from the beginning. They called the FBI and they arrived to take Samantha themselves. She was fuming mad. "I'll kill you, Mac Taylor," she said.

Mac did not say anything. He gave his statement to them and then the hotel gave him another room since the door was messed up in that one. He flopped on the bed. He groaned as his muscles tried to relax. This had turned out to be some vacation. He thought he had everything but a vacation. Was a vacation not to relax? He did not think he had relaxed at all except when he was in the middle of the ocean alone. Maybe the rest of this vacation would be quiet. He had enjoyed some of it but he was tired of getting in fights and being hit below the belt.

Just then, Mac's phone rang. He thought this was the first time it had rung the whole time he was on vacation. He looked at it…Jo was calling. He supposed they were wondering where he was. "Hello," he answered.

"Mac, where are you?" Jo asked.

"I'm on vacation," Mac said. "Why?"

"Are you kidding? You have been gone almost two months. Are you coming back?"

"Yes, but not yet."

"Then when?"

Mac paused a moment. "I don't know," he said. "I still haven't found what I'm looking for."

"And what is that?"

"I don't know. I'll let you know when I find it."

"You will?"

"You know what I mean."

"You're a hard man to figure out."

"Yeah? Well, you're a hard woman to argue with."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I don't know. I just don't want to talk about this right now."

"Can we at least know where you are?"

"I'm in New Mexico right now."

"New Mexico? How did you end up there?"

"Well, it's between California and New York."

Jo rolled her eyes. "That's not even funny," she said.

"It's funny somewhere."

"Not here."

"Nothing's funny there."

"Oh, Mac, you look on the dark side of everything."

"Maybe there's not any other side to look at."

"Yes there is. I just don't think you know how to find it, Sweety."

"Don't call me that," Mac said. "I'm your boss, remember?"

"Are you?" Jo asked. "I haven't seen you in so long, I don't know if you are or not."

"I'll be back."

"I hope you do learn where the silver lining is. Everything in life isn't darkness, Mac."

"It is for some of us."

"Well, if you don't find what you're looking for before you get back here, I'm going to help you look for it."

Mac absorbed that for a moment. "And just how are you going to do that?" he asked.

"I'm going to send you on a blind date," Jo declared.

"Oh, no you're not. I'm not getting into anything like that."

"Trust me, I will find someone who is suitable for even you."

"I don't want you to help me like that. That kind of stuff never works."

"Hey, I've seen people go on blind dates and it blossoms into love and marriage."

"Jo, please."

"You're just afraid, Mac."

"I'm not afraid."

"Too cautious, maybe."

"Maybe, but I would rather be too cautious than to get into something else I'll regret," Mac said.

"Just hurry and get back here," Jo said. "This place is just coming apart at the seams."

"Don't worry. I'll be back and then you'll all know how good you had it while I was gone."

Jo laughed. "I'm looking forward to it."

"I'll bet you are."

"Good night."

"Night."

Mac put his phone away. He did not know what he was going to do with that woman. She thought she could tell him what to do some of the time. He thought if she ever told him to leave a crime scene again, he would send her home, and maybe he would even send her back to Virginia.

The next morning, Mac got on his way again. After two more days, he arrived in Memphis, Tennessee. It was night and he would head down through Mississippi the next day. He had seen all of Interstate 40 that he wanted to see. It was miles and miles and miles of…well, scenery. He thought he wanted to see something different. He looked at an atlas and decided that he would get on one of the highways and just go down through the state and see what he could find down there.

The next morning, Mac got on his way. He got on a highway that went almost all the way down the state and just started driving. There were several small towns on this highway. He was ready to see something he had not seen. As he got down further into Mississippi, he came to a small town and he started to see trees that looked like they had been twisted off and some of them were stripped and others were uprooted, and then there was space where they were totally gone. Next, he saw a school that had blue tarps on the roof and some of the buildings were destroyed. As he drove on through, he realized he was looking at a disaster area. He could see several buildings that had been almost destroyed and then there was almost a barren landscape. He thought this must be one of those towns that were ravaged by one of those huge tornadoes. He saw a police car and stopped to talk to the officer who told him what had happened. An F5 tornado had come through there and destroyed that whole town, or at least 80% of it. Mac had never seen anything like this. It looked like some places he had seen during the war. He could see that some things were being rebuilt.

Mac drove on down the highway seeing foundations where houses had once stood. Finally, he got out of that town and soon he came to another town. It was almost lunch time by now, so he stopped at a small restaurant to see what kind of food they had in this town. Apparently, this state specialized in farm raised catfish, so Mac ordered some of that. He turned toward the dining room to see where he could find a table. It was very crowded and all the tables were occupied. There was a table across the room…or at least, it was a booth, where only one person was sitting. It was a woman and she had a laptop she was working on at the table. Mac walked over to the table. "Excuse me," he said.

The woman looked up at him with brown eyes. "Yes?" she said.

"Uhm, it's pretty crowded in here. I was wondering if I could sit here."

"Sure."

Mac sat down across from her. "I'm sorry about this," he said.

"That's okay. I don't need both seats anyway."

"My name is Mac Taylor."

The woman smiled. "Jane Herring."

They shook hands across the table. "You live here?" Mac asked.

"Yes," Jane answered. "Lived here all my life."

"It looks like a quiet town."

"It's pretty quiet. Where are you from?"

"New York. I'm on vacation, just driving around the country."

"Must be nice."

Mac looked at the computer. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting you," he said.

"Oh, that's okay. I was just checking on assignments online," Jane said.

"You're in college?"

"Yes."

"Is it hard to take classes online?"

"Not really. It's kinda fun and I don't have to go out to a classroom. That's not very easy to do when you have children."

An order number was called and Jane stood up. "That's me," she said.

Mac watched her walk over to the counter and get her meal. She came back to the table and sat down. "What did you get?" she asked.

"I decided to try some catfish," Mac said.

"Mmmm, good choice. You'll love them."

Mac smiled. "So, how many kids do you have?"

"Two."

"Husband?"

"He died about a year ago."

Mac frowned. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"That's okay. What about you? You married?"

"No. My wife died too."

"It's sad."

Mac stared at her. "How much longer do you have in college?"

"Just two more months and then I will have my bachelor's."

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

Soon, Mac's order number was called and he got his meal and sat down. "I'll move when a table gets vacant if you want me to," he said.

"No, you're not bothering me at all," Jane said. "I don't mind having company."

Mac smiled. "I guess it's better to eat with someone than alone," he said.

"I'm sure."

They were silent for a few minutes. "So, what do you do in New York, Mac Taylor?" Jane asked.

"I'm the head of the crime lab there. I'm a detective."

Jane stared at him a moment. "Well, my degree is for forensic science," she said.

"You're in law enforcement?"

"Yes. I've been working with the police department for five years."

Mac was surprised. "And you're furthering your career?"

"I'm trying to. I want something better for my family."

"I can understand that. I've kinda been on the search for something different on this vacation."

"Did you find it?"

Mac looked at her. "I don't know yet," he said.

They stared at each other for a moment. Mac cleared his throat and sipped his tea. "This fish is good," he said, trying to change the subject.

"Yes. They're one of the best," Jane replied. She looked down at her plate, but then looked at Mac again. She had to admit, he was quite handsome. He was a cop…the head of a crime lab. And maybe he was lonely too. "So, what brought you to this little town?"

"I was just driving," Mac said. He looked at her. "I just decided to see what was down here."

Jane smiled. "Are you disappointed?"

"Not at all. I think I might stay here a day or two…maybe till the weekend if…" Mac looked down at his plate, then he looked at Jane. "Are you busy tonight?"

Jane looked at him. "Well, I'm always busy," she said.

Mac smiled. "I guess so with children. When was the last time you went out?"

"I don't know."

"How old are your kids?"

"The youngest is about eighteen months and the other is 5. My husband and I were married eleven years."

"I was married seventeen."

"Wow. That's a long time to love someone and then they're gone."

"I know."

"I thought I wouldn't be able to finish this college after my husband died. I felt like everything was crumbling around me and I was getting trapped."

Mac stared at her a moment. "I know that feeling."

"What do you intend to do?"

Mac took another bite of his food. "I don't know. I left on this vacation, I've been gone almost two months and I still don't know what I want to do. I felt like I was walking in a fog some of the time and I don't want to do that anymore."

Jane took a bite of her food. She knew how he felt, but she did not know what to say. "I think you just have to let things go," she said finally. "You have to realize that you're still here and you have to live your life."

Mac nodded. "I know, but for so long I…" He could not believe he was sitting here telling this to a complete stranger. He looked at Jane. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to unload on you."

"You're not bothering me. I like helping people. If I didn't, I wouldn't be in the profession I am in."

"I don't usually share things with people I don't really know."

Jane smiled. "Well, we know each other's names. How do you get to know someone if you don't talk?"

"I guess you're right."

"So…but for so long you…what?"

Mac looked into her eyes and he smiled. "For so long, I felt like I was cheating on her. In my heart I was still married."

Jane nodded. "I know that feeling too. I guess that's what true love does to you."

"I loved my wife. I just hope she knew how much I loved her."

"I'm sure she did."

"I feel like I neglected her. I was always on my job, but every time I had a minute, I was thinking about her. I was always talking about how beautiful she was and how much I loved her. I got on the nerves of my partners talking about her."

"You sound a lot like my husband was. People he worked with always knew about me because he talked like that."

"When a man is in love, he thinks about his wife a lot. Some people think that's crazy but if you find your true love, what else do you need?"

"I don't know. I don't think I need anything else."

Mac smiled and shook his head. "Listen to us," he said.

"What's wrong with talking?" Jane asked.

"Nothing. It's been a long time since I just sat and talked to someone. I was trying to escape everything when I…" Mac looked at her.

"Go on," Jane encouraged and propped on the table. "I have time and we're enjoying this great meal we have here."

"Well, I guess I need to start with what led to all this."

"I'm all ears."

Mac told her about being in the war and about getting married. Then he told her about Claire's death and on up to what happened on the rooftop that caused him to question his worth and about his vacation. He was leaning back on the seat by the time he got done. "And now here I am," he said. He looked at Jane who was listening. He did not know if he had ever had anyone just listen to him and not interrupt.

"That was very interesting," Jane said.

"That's the point I'm at right now."

"The crossroads."

Mac nodded. "Trying to decide what I should do in life."

"You know, you seem like a wonderful man. You've dedicated your life to service in this country. You can't let yourself think that you haven't made a difference. Maybe we can't right every wrong, but we can sure make a dent."

"You think so?"

"If I didn't, I sure wouldn't be working so hard to get this degree."

"I guess you're right, but I've been alone for so long, I feel like I'm going in circles and they never end. It's like the same routine every day of the world and nothing is ever different."

"That's because you don't have a family," Jane said.

Mac stared at her a moment. "When you have a family, everything is always different," Jane said. "Children never do the same things every day except maybe when they're babies."

Mac considered that. "You're right," he said. "But it's too late for me. I'm almost fifty years old."

Jane leaned on the table. "It's never too late," she said.

Mac stared at her. He saw warmth in her eyes and sincerity. She reached for his hand across the table. Mac sat up and put his hand in hers. "Maybe you've found what you've been searching for," Jane said.

Mac was speechless. He swallowed. "Maybe I have," he said.


	9. Chapter 9

By the time the weekend came, Mac was having the time of his life. He had definitely found something that he did not want to let go. It was Saturday and he and Jane were going out. He had seen what she meant by things being different. He had met the children and had spent a lot of time with them and Jane. He could see that those children needed a father…daddy. He knew those two words meant two different things. Their father was gone, but he thought he wanted to be their daddy. However, he and Jane lived in different worlds. He stared in the mirror in his hotel room. He had to at least try. He would not just turn his back on happiness because of circumstances like different cities. After all, there was crime everywhere. He could get a job somewhere else. Then again, he did not know what Jane might want to do. They would cross that bridge when they came to it…together.

When Mac was ready, he went to Jane's house to pick her up. There he met her mother, who was going to stay with the kids while they were out. "We'll be back whenever, Mother," Jane said.

"Don't worry about it," her mother said.

They went out to Mac's Corvette and headed out. "I hope you like movies with a lot of action," Mac said.

"I certainly do," Jane said.

They were dressed casual because neither of them wanted to dress up since they always had to dress up. They went up to a town about 45 miles away because it had more restaurants. Mac was intrigued by these towns. They were nothing like New York. This city did not even have a skyscraper at all, but it was a nice size town. He could actually drive all the way to the mall without getting into a traffic jam. They had to wait a little, but he had been in traffic that was crawling so slowly that it took two hours to get home.

They soon arrived at the mall and went inside. "We can eat here and then watch the movie in the theater," Jane said. "They have some good food here."

"I'm sure they do," Mac replied. They got their meals and found a table. "I took my niece to see this movie while I was in California."

Jane noticed a frown on Mac's face as he picked at his food. "Something wrong?" she asked.

"Just thinking about something. My sister is…well, I don't want to talk about that right now. I want to enjoy this date."

"Me too."

When they were done eating, they went to the theater which was right there in the mall. "I am stuffed," Mac said. "I don't think I could eat one piece of popcorn."

"Me neither," Jane replied.

They sat down in the theater to wait for the movie to start. "This is a great movie," Mac said.

"I like these movies," Jane replied. "I saw the first two. Just don't tell me what's going to happen."

Mac grinned. "I'll try not to."

"You better not."

Mac leaned toward her. "What are you going to do if I do?" he asked quietly.

Jane smiled and gave him an alluring look. "I guess you'll find out if you do it," she said.

"I might want to be in trouble." Mac caressed her hand as he looked into her brown eyes. She had brown hair and wore it short, but he thought she was beautiful. "I can see why your husband was always telling you that you were beautiful."

They snuggled closer together as the lights went out and the movie started. Mac thought he could get used to this. He wanted to feel like he was living again and right now, he felt just that. What was love anyway? Was it not something that drew two people together and they did not even have a choice in the matter? They just found each other interesting and just wanted to be together. He did not think love was something that could be analyzed or something that could be made to happen. It happened naturally and it was rewarding. Mac thought people looked for too many things. Why did it matter if two people had a lot in common? After all, in chemistry, opposites attract, not things that are alike. He thought two people who were different complimented each other. If they were both alike, where was the adventure? He remembered that Claire had always been more outgoing than he was. She could light up a room when they went somewhere together and he just basked in the glow that he was lucky enough to have obtained that beautiful light she contained. If they had both been quiet, there would have been no adventure and they might never have enjoyed a party. He did not mind letting her be the life of the party while he just tagged along. He smiled at that thought. He had never wanted to be in the spotlight anyway.

After the movie, they went to the Corvette. "This is really a nice car," Jane remarked.

Mac smiled. "I bought it before I went on my adventure," he said.

Jane looked at him with an amused look. "You were having a mid-life crisis."

"Maybe," Mac said. "But is it a crisis to want to know where your life is going?"

"I don't know, but they call it a crisis because people usually do things they wouldn't normally do or they do risky things."

"Well, I don't think I've done that yet." Mac remembered what he had almost gotten into with Carla. That was risky. He could have gotten an STD from that if he had let himself get into that. That would have definitely changed his life. He thought he had gotten his emotions under control now. He wanted to know Jane better though. He was not sure he could just leave here and not know where this could have gone…oh, he would not just leave. He would be coming back here. He was certain of that. A man in love always went back. He remembered his mother talking about when she and his father were dating. She said no matter how long he was gone, she knew he would come back, even though her mother would tell her that he was not coming back.

Jane looked at him. "What are you thinking?" she asked.

Mac glanced at her. "I'm thinking that I plan to make a lot of trips to Mississippi," he said bluntly.

"Really?"

"Yes…that is if you don't mind."

"Oh, I don't think I would like anything better."

Mac looked at her a moment and then back at the road. "I think I found what I was searching for," he said. "I didn't know what I was searching for, but now I know I've found it…if you'll have me."

"I don't think there's anyone else in the world like you."

Mac felt almost shy. He supposed he would eventually tell Martha, but he was not sure when. He supposed he could tell Jo that he had found what he was looking for. He could imagine how happy she would be when she found out he found his destiny with a Southern Belle. He had wondered at times whether she thought she was his destiny, but he thought maybe that was just her way.

"I guess we could go to my hotel and have some time alone," Mac said. He looked at her. "I didn't mean that like it sounded. I mean, we can…"

"Don't explain anything, Mac," Jane said. "We can't exactly have time alone at my house."

Mac thought he might be getting himself into another situation, but this situation was different. This woman was a mother and she was not a prostitute or a crime boss. She was a down-to-earth woman that he thought he could fall madly in love with.

When they arrived at Mac's hotel, he felt nervous, but he knew he had no reason to. They went inside and Mac turned the light on. "You want a snack?" he asked. "I have some stuff in here."

"I'm not all that hungry right now," Jane replied. She looked around the room. "This is a nice room."

"Almost like an apartment. I live in an apartment."

"I guess apartments are nice when it's just you. I never lived in one."

"There are plenty of family apartments."

"If there are neighbors who don't mind kids being around."

"They have family complexes." Mac thought about that. "They're not usually as nice though. I have to admit that."

"Kids make noise and they write on walls and they run and play."

Mac smiled. "That's normal," he said. He sat down on the sofa. "Come here."

Jane sat down on the couch beside him. "I have been wanting to kiss you for four days," Mac whispered as he brushed her hair back.

"Why didn't you?" Jane asked.

"I wanted it to be the right moment."

"Is this the right moment?"

Mac moved closer to her. "I think it is," he said.

"I wish you would go ahead and stop keeping me in suspense."

Mac smiled and then kissed her softly. They stared into each other's eyes and then shared a more passionate kiss. Jane loved the feeling of Mac's arms around her. She thought that was what she missed most of all. Mac wanted to just bring her as close to him as he could and closer. They finally ended the kiss and he squeezed her to him. "I love you," he whispered in her ear before he thought of what he was saying.

They stared at each other. "You what?" Jane asked.

Mac could not believe he said that. "I…"

Jane put her finger on his lips. "Never mind," she said. "You can tell me some time when you want to."

"I guess I better head back to New York tomorrow, but you can believe that I'll be back."

"How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know. I've used up my vacation time."

Jane caressed his face. "I hope it won't be long. I will miss you."

"I'll miss you too. I'll count the days."

"So will I."

Mac drove Jane home and kissed her again at the door. "I'll have to start early in the morning," he said. "You look for me. I promise I will be back."

"I'll be here," Jane said.

Mac watched her go into the house and close the door. He did not want to go, but he had to. He went to his car and stared at the house a moment before he went back to his hotel. He packed up everything and put it in the trunk after he got his shower. He got into bed and thought of Jane as he stared at the pillow beside his. Would he ever look next to him and see someone else again? Would it be Jane? He thought it could be a great possibility…

Mac walked into the crime lab on Monday morning. He was early so there was no one else there at the moment. He went to his office, where a mountain of paperwork was waiting for him on his desk. He sat down and looked at the paperwork. He supposed this was how much could pile up when one was gone for two months. He got one of the folders and opened it and looked at the case. Danny had worked that case, along with Lindsey and Sheldon. Mac signed the reports and then went on to the next. He finished another and then looked out the window. He thought of Jane…so far away. He thought of how it felt to have his arms around her and about their kiss. He remembered the smell of her hair and her perfume.

"Ahem!"

Mac was startled. He looked around to see Jo standing in front of his desk in her usual stance. "Are you on this planet?" she asked.

Mac stared at her a moment. "Sorry," he said. "I was just thinking."

Jo folded her arms. "Welcome back," she said.

"Thanks. It's good to be back."

"Is it? You looked like you were a million miles away just now."

Mac leaned back in his chair. "What do you want? Did you come in here to say something?"

"Well, I came to welcome you back and to tell you that we have a case."

"Oh." Mac cleared his throat and walked around the desk. "Why didn't you say so?"

Jo stared at him as he headed for the elevator. She followed him and they stood at the elevator waiting for it to come up. Jo looked at Mac. "So, who is she?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "Who is who?" he asked.

"This woman who has you intrigued. That must have been where you were all this time."

"Look…"

Just then, the elevator opened. Mac walked in and Jo followed. "You were saying?" she asked.

Mac stared at her. "Look, even if there is a woman, it's none of your business," he declared.

"Oh, come on, Mac. I just want to know who's got a leash on you that keeps you staring into space. You're not staring into space like you were before. You were enjoying it this time."

"Why don't you shut up and stop trying to analyze me?"

Jo laughed. "Wow, she must be something," she said.

Mac folded his arms. "So, how have things been going while I was gone?" he asked.

"Great. We have a new intern in the lab. He's been doing pretty good too."

"Really. Well, who authorized hiring someone else?"

"The chief did since you weren't here. You were gone so long, we needed some help."

"Okay."

The elevator doors opened and they went out to the Avalanche. When they arrived at the crime scene, Don Flack was there, as usual. "Hey, Mac!" he said. "It's good to see you!"

"Good to be back, Don," Mac said. "What have we got?"

"Female victim, Lana Green. She's thirty-two years old, resident of Jersey. Looks like she was dumped out here."

Mac went into the alley where the victim was lying between two dumpsters. Mac got his camera and took pictures of the body. "Who found the body?" he asked.

Don pointed at a man down the alley. "That guy there was dumping his trash here," he said. "He owns this restaurant here. He had just came in this morning and found that the trash wasn't taken out last night so he came out here to dump it and there she was."

Mac considered that. "So, who was supposed to dump the trash last night and why didn't they?" he asked.

"Beats me. I haven't gotten that far yet."

Mac looked at Jo. "You finish up here," he said. "I'm going to see if I can find out anything."

Just then, Mac's phone rang. He took it off his side. He smiled as he saw that it was a text from Jane. Don and Jo just stared at him as he texted a message back. He looked at them and realized he had been smiling bigger than usual. He cleared his throat. "Just a text," he said.

"Oh, I think it was more than that with a smile like you had," Jo remarked.

"I didn't ask you."

Jo and Don watched Mac as he walked away. Don looked at Jo. "So, do you think he has a flame?" Don asked.

"I think he has more than a flame," Jo said. She looked at the victim. "But right now, I have a bigger case to work on."

"Right."

Mac walked over to the man who found the body. "I understand you found the body?" he asked.

"Yes," the man answered.

"I'm Detective Mac Taylor, and you are?"

"Joe Yates. I own The Meat Chop."

"The restaurant?"

"Yes."

Mac had to admit he had never heard of that restaurant before. "So, who was supposed to take out the trash last night?" he asked.

"Melinda," Joe answered. "She worked the night shift."

"Does Melinda have a last name?"

Joe folded his arms. "Carpenter."

Mac wrote that down. "When does she come in today?"

"She's out today."

"She had any visitors lately? Have you ever seen the victim?"

"No and No. It's not unusual for Melinda to forget to put the trash out. She doesn't like to come out in this alley at night."

"I don't blame her. Anything unusual been happening around here lately."

"Only this."

"Did you see anyone in the alley when you came in this morning?"

"No. I went in the front door. I don't come out here except to dump garbage."

"What time did you get here?"

"At about six. The restaurant opens at seven and I didn't come out to dump the garbage until about seven-thirty."

"What time did the restaurant close?"

"It closes at ten and usually takes till about eleven at night to get everything cleaned up."

"So you think she might have left at around eleven?"

"Well, she wasn't here alone. Jonathan was here too."

"Jonathan…"

"Wright and then there was Katy Furlow too, and Janie might have been here. She usually has to leave earlier because she has children."

Mac wrote all those names down. "What's Janie's last name?" he asked.

"Strong."

"You got all their addresses?" Mac asked.

"Of course."

"I need those. We'll have to talk to them about last night." Mac looked at Joe. "You've never seen this girl before at all?"

"Not that I remember," Joe answered. "I see a lot of people during the week."

"Thanks."

Mac walked back over to the victim where Jo was finishing her examination. "The victim was stabbed," Jo said. "Looks like a pretty big wound."

Mac looked at the wound. "Looks like more than just a switchblade," he said.

"Definitely more than that."

Mac thought the wound looked like it could have been made by a meat cleaver or maybe even a hatchet. He looked at Jo. "I think there's more to this than we're hearing."

"I think you may be right," Jo agreed. "So, what did the restaurant owner over there say?"

"He told me who was closing last night, but his story doesn't add up. He said that Melinda Carpenter was supposed to put the trash out but she didn't want to come out in this alley alone, but there were three others here with her last night, so why didn't they come out with her?"

"Good question. You think this guy knows more than what he's telling?"

"I think he knows a lot more. And I think someone around here is gifted with using a meat cleaver."

"For something besides cleaving meat."

They looked at the victim. "So, what would make someone want to kill her with a meat cleaver?" Jo asked.

"We're going to find out," Mac replied.

They searched the alley and did not find the murder weapon, so they went into the restaurant. "Hey, what are you doing in here?" Joe, the manager asked.

"That woman was killed with a large weapon," Mac said. "We think it might have come from in here."

"Are you saying that someone from this restaurant might have killed her?"

"You weren't here, were you?"

"No, but I don't think any of my employees would murder someone."

"That's not for you to decide, that's for us to investigate."

"Don't you need a warrant?"

"You got something to hide?" Jo asked.

Yates glared at them. "Just don't tear up anything!" he said.

"We don't usually make that a habit," Mac said.

Yates went back into the front of the restaurant. Mac looked at Jo. "Well, he's just a ray of sunshine, isn't he?" Jo asked. "His customers must think he is just a sweetheart."

Mac chuckled at that sarcasm. "Maybe he doesn't talk to them," he said.

"I think everyone would leave if he opened his mouth."

Mac shook his head and began searching for anything that could have been the murder weapon. While he was looking in one of the drawers, his phone rang. Jo watched as he looked at it. She saw the smile that spread across his face. She knew there had to be something behind that. She was also glad that he was enjoying something enough to smile. She had not seen him smile much since she had known him. He was always serious and seemed like he was looking in the distance at something a lot of the time. Jo knew he must have a lot bottled up inside that he let no one know about.

Mac smiled as he replied to Jane's message. He could hardly believe how his heart jumped when his phone rang with that ringtone that he set for her. He wanted to hold her in his arms again and feel her warmth. He sighed as he put his phone away and began looking for evidence again. Jo came over to him. "So, who's your secret lover?" she asked just trying to get under his skin.

"What secret lover?" Mac asked. "I don't have a secret lover."

"Mac Taylor, if you smiled any bigger when that phone rings, your face would crack from overuse."

Mac looked at her a moment. Then he just went back to his work. Jo could not believe he was just going to ignore her. She was not used to being ignored, but she would not press him anymore. He obviously did not want to talk about it. She knew he was quiet about this sort of thing.

Mac finally found a meat cleaver in one of the dishwashers. He looked at Jo. "If this was the murder weapon, it's clean now," he said.

"Maybe a dishwasher can't get everything," Jo replied. She sprayed luminal on the blade of the knife and there was a small glow at the bottom of the blade and a spot on the handle.

"Problem is, the DNA is probably compromised, and they probably use that to cut meat," Mac pointed out.

"True, but if we can determine if this is human blood, we'll have a case."

"Right."

They took the meat cleaver and went back to the lab to analyze the evidence. "There wasn't much on the victim," Jo said as they were standing at the lab table. "Her purse was not with her, she didn't have anything in her pockets except this…"

Mac looked at the small bracelet Jo was holding. "Any fingerprints?" he asked.

"The victim's prints are on it and some very small ones, like a child. As a matter of fact, I would say this is a child's bracelet."

Jo put the bracelet around her wrist. "It wouldn't fit an adult," she pointed out.

Mac scowled as he thought. "So what would she be doing with a child's bracelet in her pocket?" he wondered out loud. "Where is the child?"

"That's a good question." Jo stared at Mac a moment. "You think all this is something about a child?"

"We have a lot of unanswered questions," Mac said. "Anything else on the victim?"

"Not in her pockets, but there was a substance on the bottom of her shoes." Jo went over to the analyzer where her information was ready. "Looks like tomato sauce, mushrooms and dish detergent."

Mac had one of those detective looks on his face now. "All things that you would find in a restaurant kitchen," he said. "We have to go back there and look for samples."

"So, this victim was actually inside the restaurant and this has something to do with a child," Jo said as they were taking off their lab coats. "So, do you think one of the employees killed her over a child?"

"That's something we have to let Flack get a hold of." Mac took his phone off his side as they were going to the elevator.

"But Mac, if one of those employees killed her, then the others…"

"Had to know it," Mac finished.

"Flack," Don answered.

"Don, I need you to find out if any of those employees of that restaurant had any kind of relationship with the victim," Mac said. "Especially that pertains to a child."

"We've got a child involved now?"

"Looks like it. The victim had a bracelet in her pocket that had small fingerprints on it and it was a child's bracelet."

"Any ID?"

"None. The victim had nothing else on her but that and she had substances on her shoes that pertain to a restaurant kitchen."

"Oooh, so you think someone from that restaurant killed her…and maybe the others know about it."

"Something like that. Get on that Don. If someone has kidnapped a child, we need to find it before they get it out of the city."

"Right, I'm on it, Mac."

Mac put his phone away just as the elevator reached the lobby. He and Jo went out to the Avalanche. "We'll check with Sid when we come back," Mac said. "I don't want anything destroyed at that restaurant before we get back there."

"Maybe we will find the victim's fingerprints there," Jo replied.

"Exactly."

Mac got his warrant on the way to the restaurant. The owner was none too happy about their arriving there again. "What are you implying by coming here like this?" Yates asked. "You're going to ruin my business."

"I don't intend to ruin anything," Mac said. "All I want to do is find out who killed this woman. Now, move out of my way."

Yates glared at Mac, but he stepped aside. Mac looked at the other three employees who were there. "I need to talk to all of you," he said. "So don't get any urges to suddenly take a lunch break."

Jo folded her arms and gave them all a warning look as she followed Mac into the kitchen area. "Why would the victim be in here?" Jo asked.

"If we find her fingerprints here anywhere, we're going to ask that question," Mac said. He gestured to the other employees. "You notice there are only three here today? I thought he had four."

"Maybe the other one is off today or maybe it is the woman with the kids."

"I think all the women are here."

They dusted the kitchen and collected several fingerprints. Then they fingerprinted the employees and the owner too. "You're all going to have to come downtown with us," Mac said. "Just until we distinguish your fingerprints from everyone else's and we also need to ask you some questions."

"You can't ask me to close my restaurant!" Yates said.

"Yes I can, and you're going to cooperate."

Yates was fuming mad, but he knew he had no choice. "Don't worry," Jo said. "I'll stay here until you get back. I'll make sure all your customers leave and that no one else comes in."

Yates glared at her, but he went on. Mac went back to the lab and got his evidence folder while the fingerprints were being run and then he went down to see Sid. "Mac, I was beginning to think you weren't coming," Sid said.

"Oh, I always have to visit you, Sid," Mac replied. "What have you got?"

"The victim was stabbed with a large knife, and I would say that it was probably something bigger than a knife. Went right through her heart. She was stabbed with great force."

"You think maybe a man did this?"

"There are some pretty strong women out there, but I would say this was done by a guy or more than one woman. There was also a foreign hair under her clothing." Sid gave Mac a vial. "It's not the same color as the victim's hair."

Mac looked at the victim's dark brown hair and then at the hair which was blonde. "Could have belonged to this child we're looking for," he said. "She had a small bracelet in her pocket that most likely belonged to a child."

"That's all I found on the victim," Sid said. "No other DNA or fingerprints. No bruising like she was in a fight before she was stabbed."

"I think this was done by someone she trusted or someone that she would not think would kill her." Mac looked at the victim again. "Thanks, Sid."

Mac went back to the elevator. He thought of Jane as he was going back to the lab with his new evidence. When he arrived, Danny was there. "Hey, Mac," he said.

"Danny, I need you to run this DNA," Mac said and gave him the vial with the hair in it.

"You got it."

Mac went down to the interrogation room. Don was standing outside. "That Joe Yates in there is quite a grouch," Don said. "He's threatening to sue the city for his lost hours in his restaurant."

"Let him threaten," Mac said. "If I find out that victim was in that kitchen, someone is going to have a lot of questions to answer."

Just then, Adam came from the elevator with the fingerprint results. "Your victim was definitely in that kitchen," Adam said. "These fingerprints match hers, and of course, there are the ones from the employees."

Mac looked at the printouts a moment. "So, if she was in there, how did they get her out in that alley without a struggle?" he asked.

"Maybe it was someone she trusted," Don suggested.

"That's what we thought before. It looks like that must be the case."

"What has all this got to do with a child?"

"I'm going to find that out too. The child's fingerprints didn't come up in any databases?"

"None."

"Well, these people in here have got a lot of questions to answer."

Mac turned toward the interrogation room. He would get some answers…


	10. Chapter 10

Mac went into the first interrogation room where Joe Yates was waiting. "It's about time!" Yates exploded.

"Why don't you sit down and relax?" Mac asked.

Yates plopped down in the chair and folded his arms. "What is this about?" he asked. "I'm the one who called and told you that I found that body! Is this the thanks I get?"

"You wouldn't be the first one to call and report a murder after you actually committed it."

"Are you accusing me of murder?"

"If you would be quiet, I would tell you why you're here."

Yates blew out a loud breath. "Okay, go ahead, but I do not know anything about what happened to that girl."

"Do you know anything about Lana Green?" Mac asked as he sat down and laid a picture of the victim on the table.

"No, I don't."

"Have you ever seen her in that restaurant?"

"No."

Mac stared at him a moment with a skeptical look on his face. He laid the fingerprint sheet on the table. "Her fingerprints were in that kitchen," he said. "That means she was in there. Now, either you're lying or you're one of the most uninformed owners I have ever seen."

Yates stared at Mac. "I wasn't there last night," he said. "I don't know who they might have let into the kitchen."

"How could anyone come there that was known well enough to get into the kitchen without you seeing them before?"

"Do I need a lawyer?"

"I don't know. Do you?"

"I did not murder this girl." Yates shoved the picture at Mac. "I don't know who did."

"So, who is missing out of your crew today?" Mac asked.

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"I want to know why that person is not there. Someone murdered this girl and I intend to find out who if I have to tear your whole restaurant apart."

"You'll do no such thing!"

Mac stared at him a moment. "Don't tempt me. I always did wonder what makes a restaurant work."

"I have never seen that girl. I'm telling you the truth."

Mac thought he was beginning to believe him. "Okay, then tell me who is missing off your crew."

"Janie is not there today because she has a sick child," Yates said.

"What about the other three? Do you know anything about their personal relationships?"

"No. I don't get into that."

Mac put his papers back into his folder. "I'll talk to you again," he said. He got up and went on to the next room where Melinda Carpenter was waiting.

Melinda was sitting at the table sipping some water. "What's going on here?" she asked. "Why am I being interrogated?"

"Because a young woman was murdered outside the restaurant you work in," Mac said. He laid a picture of the victim on the table. "You know her?"

Melinda looked at the picture and then at Mac. "You do know her," Mac said. "How do you know her? She was at the restaurant last night. Who was she there to see?"

"I don't think I want to talk to you," Melinda said. "I don't know anything."

"Yes you do. You know whether that girl was at that restaurant last night or not."

"I don't know anything."

Mac blew out a breath. "Look, you were on the shift last night, weren't you?"

"I went home early. When I left, there was no one there that shouldn't be."

"And who all was there?"

"Jonathan and Katie were still there when I left."

Mac wrote that down. "Have you ever seen this girl in the restaurant?" he asked.

"I think I saw her talking to Jonathan once. I'm usually in the back. I don't work the front counter."

"Who does?"

"Jonathan and Katie. They do the waiting tables and the cash register."

Mac wrote that down. "And you do the cooking?"

"Yes. Janie and I do the cooking and fixing the plates."

"Don't you have a lot of customers?"

"Not more than we can handle. It's not fast food."

"Oh."

"We precook the menu items, like the specials and then we don't have to keep our customers waiting too long, plus we have the buffet."

Mac did not think this woman had anything to do with the murder. "If you think of anything, you need to let me know," he said as he was putting his evidence back.

Mac went on to the next interrogation room. Jonathan Wright was in this room. Mac sat down at the table and took out his evidence. "Do you know that girl?" he asked.

"No," Jonathan replied.

Mac glared at him. "Why don't you look at the picture before you say no?"

"I don't have to tell you anything. You just want to pin this murder on me because you can't find the real murderer."

"That is not true. This girl was in that kitchen at that restaurant, and she had to be there with somebody. Do you know her?"

Jonathan leaned back and folded his arms and just stared at Mac with a haughty look. "You know something about this," Mac said. "If you killed that girl, you are going to pay for it."

"I don't have anything to say to you," Jonathan said.

"You know, you're making yourself look real guilty."

"I don't care."

Mac put his evidence back and went on to the next room. Katie Furlow was walking around the room. Mac sat down at the table. "Sit down," he said.

Katie sat down at the table. "Why am I here?" she asked.

Mac laid the picture of the victim on the table. "Do you know this girl?" he asked.

Katie looked at the picture. "Lana Green. I've seen her."

"Who is she? What was she doing at the restaurant?"

"She is Jonathan's ex-wife."

Mac frowned. "Ex-wife?"

"Yes."

Mac wrote that down. "What time did you leave last night?"

"Around nine-thirty. I was tired and Jonathan said he would take care of everything."

"Were you the last to leave besides him?"

"No. Melinda was still there."

"Well, she says you were still there with Jonathan when she left."

"She's lying. She and Jonathan have a thing going."

"Had you seen Jonathan and Lana arguing?"

"Not last night."

"What were they arguing about before?"

"Lana wouldn't let Jonathan see their daughter. She tried to prove that he was abusive."

"And was he?"

"I don't know. He didn't seem like a bad guy to me. She had the child in her custody though and she would not let him see her even when it was his time. He was always talking about that."

"Did he ever threaten her in any way?"

"He said he was going to get even with her and that she was going to pay for keeping his child away from him. He said that she was going to know what it was like to never see her child."

Mac wrote that down. He thought he might be seeing something now. Obviously this guy was angry about Lana keeping his daughter from him. "What about last night?" he asked. "Was he agitated?"

"He was kinda quiet last night. More quiet than normal. He seemed to be preoccupied with something."

"Did you leave early?"

"I left around nine-thirty. He and Melinda said they would finish the clean up."

"So they were there alone then?"

"Yes."

"Did he say anything about his ex-wife coming there to meet him?"

"No. Like I said, he was pretty quiet last night."

"Thanks."

Mac got up and left the interrogation room. Don Flack was coming that way. "Mac, I found out some stuff about this victim," he said.

"Let me guess," Mac said. "She is the ex-wife of one of the employees of that restaurant?"

Don stared at him a moment. "Yeah. How did you know that?"

"One of his coworkers in there told me."

"So, what are we doing now?"

"That guy's got a lot of questions to answer and so has Melinda Carpenter."

Just then, Danny came from the elevator. "Mac, I have the results from the DNA," he said. "This hair definitely belongs to the victim's child," he said. "I compared the DNA. It's a daughter."

Mac looked at the DNA results. "So, she had a daughter with Jonathan Wright," he said. "We have to find out where that little girl is. She was in the custody of her mother and now her mother is dead."

"Nobody has come here looking for her either," Don replied.

Mac headed back to the interrogation room where Jonathan Wright was supposed to be, but when Mac walked in, there was no one in the room. He whirled around toward Don. "Where is this suspect?" he demanded.

"I don't know!" Don replied with a bewildered look on his face.

Mac hurried toward the room where Melinda Carpenter was. She was gone too. "They're gonna run!" he exclaimed. "How did they get out of here?"

"I don't know," Don said as he was dialing his phone. "I intend to find out!"

Danny looked at Mac. "What do we do?" Danny asked.

"We find them!" Mac declared. He looked at Don who was talking on the phone. Mac pointed at him. "You find out who was supposed to be watching these two! They just lost their job!"

Don nodded. He knew Mac was mad. If nothing else, he could tell by the way he was walking to that elevator. Danny was following Mac. He looked back at Don with a shrug. Don knew what that meant. Someone was in trouble because Mac was mad. Don hoped it was not him. He was not sure how those two suspects got out of here. They must have been released when Mac was done questioning them, but he had not noticed any lawyers visiting them.

Mac and Danny came from the elevator at the lab, and Mac saw someone standing in the hall that he had not seen before. "Mac," Danny said. "This is the new intern, Mark."

Mac looked at the guy before him. He was no taller than Danny and wore glasses. He had brown hair and blue eyes. He was kinda skinny and looked like a nerd. Mac supposed he was a nerd too, so that did not matter. "Mark," he said and offered his hand.

Mark looked at Mac's hand. "I never shake hands," he said.

Mac scowled at him. "Why?" he asked.

"It's unsanitary."

Mac put his hands on his hips. "Are you saying I'm not clean? Let me tell you something about this lab…"

"Mac, we don't have time for this right now," Danny interrupted, knowing that Mac was in no mood to put up with a geeky lab tech.

Mac gave him a warning look and then looked at the intern. "I'll talk to you later," he said.

Mark swallowed hard. "Yes, sir," he said.

Danny could see Mac had instilled some fear into this guy already. He followed Mac to his office. Mac glared at him. "You better not interrupt me again when I'm chewing somebody out," he said.

"Mac, you were scaring the guy," Danny said.

"Yeah, well I felt like it! Because of some screw up down there, we're going to have to try and chase these two people down before they skip the country!"

Don Flack came from the elevator. "Mac, I have an APB out on those two," he said. "I have the addresses of them both and the address of the victim in Jersey. We can check out those places."

"Let's get on it!" Mac said. He put his evidence folder in his desk drawer and slammed it shut.

They all headed for the elevator. When the doors opened, Jo was in the elevator. "Where you guys going?" she asked.

"It's a long story," Mac replied.

Jo got out of the elevator and watched them get in. "Good luck," she said.

"Thanks."

Mac, Don, and Danny were going down the hallway of the apartment complex where Jonathan Wright lived with their weapons ready. They stopped outside the door. "Remember, there may be a child in there," Mac said. "So be careful."

Don and Danny nodded. Don knocked on the door. "N.Y.P.D.! Open up!" he yelled.

They all listened but did not hear anything. Mac kicked the door open and they were staring at an empty apartment. "He had this planned!" Danny said, stating the obvious.

"Let's go!" Mac said as they headed out of the building. He called Jo and told her to bring Adam and Lindsey and go over that apartment.

Don, Danny, and Mac raced over to Melinda Carpenter's apartment. "Mac, if he had this planned, you know that she won't be there either," Don declared. "Especially if they're planning to escape together. I have tags on all the airlines!"

"We're going to find out anyway," Mac said. "They left that precinct. We have to find out where they're headed."

They found the same thing at Melinda's apartment, although everything was still there. There was no one there though. Next they headed over to Newark, New Jersey where the victim had lived. When they arrived at her apartment, they found the victim's mother tied up in a closet. She was crying and looked like she had been there a while. "They took Danielle!" she exclaimed. "They left me here two days ago!"

"Do you have any idea where they might be headed?" Mac asked.

"I think they want to kill Lana!"

Mac frowned. "Ma'am, they already did…last night."

The woman was very upset. "They're going to take Danielle and disappear."

"Who was here?" Mac asked.

"Jonathan and that woman, Melinda."

Mac looked at Don and Danny. "We were right," he said. "They're going to change their identities if they can. They've probably already changed their appearances. They had this planned."

Don got his phone and went over away from the others. Mac looked at the victim's mother. "Ma'am, is there anything that you can tell me that would help us find these people?" he asked. "Did they say anything after they tied you up? Maybe after they closed this door?"

The woman thought a moment. "I was so scared, I wasn't hearing what they were saying," she said.

"That's alright," Mac said. "Maybe you'll think of something later. If you think of anything, just let us know."

Paramedics arrived and took the woman away. Mac looked at Danny. "They had this planned down to the minute," Danny said. "They knew exactly what they were going to do and when they were going to do it."

"Premeditated," Mac said. "We have to find these two. They're cold-blooded killers and they won't have any qualms about killing again. And now, they have a child in their possession."

"The child probably doesn't know anything's wrong, so she most likely won't try to get away or try to tell someone that she needs help."

Mac looked around the apartment. He walked over to the wall to a picture of a blonde headed little girl. He gave it to Danny. "Get this out to that ambulance and ask her grandmother if this is a recent picture," Mac said.

Danny took the picture and left the apartment. Mac looked around the apartment. There was not even any sign of a struggle. He walked down the hallway to what he assumed was the little girl's room. It was decorated with princesses. Danny soon came back with a forensics kit. "Mac, there's someone who wants to see you," he said.

"Who?" Mac asked.

"He's from Jersey P.D."

Mac frowned. "Dust this room for prints," he said.

"Got it. By the way, that is a recent picture." Danny gave the picture of the little girl back to Mac.

"Thanks."

Mac left that room and went back to the front room, where the Newark chief of detectives was waiting. "Mac Taylor," he said. He offered his hand.

Mac shook his hand. "And you are?" he asked.

"Martin Watkins. I was just wondering what you're doing over here."

"Looking for a murder suspect. These two people killed a child's mother, tied up her grandmother and took the child with them. We're trying to find a clue that might tell us where they are. Don't worry, we have a warrant."

"Oh, I don't have any doubt about that. I've heard of you."

Mac scowled at him. "Really?"

"Yeah. You like to have your way about everything."

Mac frowned. "I like to get justice for victims and get scum off the streets and make murderers pay for killing people," he said.

"Well, these people are probably long gone by now."

"They want us to think that. They're going to work their way out of here and get out of the state and disappear into the country so we can't find them."

"You mean you think they're still here?"

"No, I don't think they're 'here', but I think they're somewhere in New York. They did this before they ever committed the murder. They tied her mother up and must have kidnapped her before they ever murdered her because the murder occurred last night."

"That means they had this planned and they were ready to flee before they ever murdered that girl."

"Unless they…" Mac got his phone out and called Sid. He walked away from the other detective.

"Sid," Mac said, when Sid answered. "Does that victim show any signs of being frozen or being kept in cold storage?"

Sid considered that. "I didn't notice anything like that," he said. "But if she was just kept in cold storage, there wouldn't have been any signs of freezing. However, that would make the estimated time of death completely wrong. She would have been preserved and then restarted the decomposition phase."

Mac sighed. "So, she could have been kept a day before her body was put outside there," he said.

"Could have."

Mac thought a moment. "What about any insect life?" he asked.

"That has been sent to the lab," Sid said. "Haven't gotten any reports back about it yet. I did find some insect eggs as well as some adult beetles, but none of the eggs had hatched into larvae yet."

"That means she was not in that alley any longer than a few hours."

"Right. It takes blow fly larvae twenty-four hours to hatch and start feeding. However, the adult beetles start eating the larvae and laying their own eggs soon after the flies arrive. There weren't that many beetles on this body and judging from the body temperature, I estimated that she died around Midnight last night."

Mac sighed. "Then she had to be kept somewhere," he said. "Her mother had been in that closet for two days and they took the little girl, so they had to have the mother somewhere. She was either dead or captive until they threw her out in that alley, but since there are no defensive wounds on her body, that means she had not struggled to get away."

"There were no signs that she was tied up," Sid said.

Mac thought a moment. "Something's not adding up," he said. "Thanks, Sid."

Mac put his phone away. He had to go back to that restaurant and find out if there had been a body in that refrigerator at the restaurant. If that body was in there, he could not imagine that those two women who worked in the kitchen would not have known it. Detective Watkins came over to Mac. "You look like you know something," he said. "You want to share?"

Mac looked at him. "Not yet," he said. "I'll get back to you." He went into the room where Danny was. "You about done?"

Danny lifted a print from a hand mirror in the room. "I have prints from the child," he said. "These are very small."

"We have to get back to that restaurant."

Danny stood up. "You got something else?" he asked.

"I'm thinking that they may have kept that body in that refrigerator there. I believe they killed her before last night."

Danny considered that. "These people really had this thought out," he said.

"Yeah, and we're going to have to get ahead of them if we're going to catch them. If they were keeping that little girl for that long, maybe someone somewhere saw her or them."

Don was just coming back into the apartment. "I got everyone who is anyone in law enforcement watching the airlines, train stations, you name it," he said. "Got an Amber alert out on the child with that picture."

"She probably doesn't look like that anymore," Mac said. "They've been planning this. We have to make sure they don't get out of this city."

"If they're not already out. I'm sure they had that child somewhere that they could grab her and get going in a hurry."

"Let's get back to New York and find out if our suspicions are true," Mac said.

Mac and Danny got into the Avalanche. Danny was driving. Mac's phone rang as they were heading back to New York. He looked at it and Danny saw Mac's expression soften and even a little smile as he looked at the text that was there. Danny wondered who that was; he thought she must be something if she could make Mac smile during something like this, with all the frustration he was enduring.

Mac looked at the text from Jane, which said: _The kids and I just had lunch and we are at the park now. Just thinking of you._

Mac felt his heart seem to beat a little faster. _I am on a difficult case right now, but I am glad to hear from you. You take some of my tension away._

Mac sent the message and looked out the window as he put his phone away. He looked at all the buildings around him with no open spaces where grass was growing or anything like what he had seen where Jane lived. They were just two different places, one rural and one metropolis. He wondered if she would want to live in a bigger city. Would she want to move her children to a bigger city? Would she want him to move to the South? Mac shook his head. He was getting ahead of himself, but he had enjoyed being with her so much that he did not think he ever wanted it to end. He had felt this way about Claire. He remembered the first time he saw Claire. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He thought that might be the reason it was so hard for him to get past it. How could he feel like that about someone else? He had to let himself love someone else because he could not get Claire back and he could not live his life alone.

Mac's phone rang again. He looked at the message: _I would love to see you and kiss you again. I miss you._

Mac smiled as he read that. _I miss you too and I will be back there as soon as I can. I miss you more than I can say._

Danny looked at Mac without him knowing it. He knew that was more than just a text message. He thought he even saw Mac blush a little. He definitely saw that smile. He wondered what that was all about. He only knew one thing that could make a man act like that…especially Mac. He had never known Mac when Claire was alive, but he knew what love was. He supposed he acted a little silly when he and Lindsey were dating too…although their relationship had been kinda strained. He was glad Lindsey was so forgiving because he did not know what he would do without Lindsey and Lucy now. He had been a fool before. He had finally realized that she was all he wanted and he was glad that she had accepted him. He had never imagined that marriage could be that good. He had someone to talk everything over with and who knew everything. He did not have to explain everything. She was always there and he did not have to go through anything alone. He thought of how Mac must have felt when Claire died…when all that was over. He almost cringed at the thought of losing Lindsey. He had to take her some roses tonight.

When they arrived in New York, Mac and Danny went to the restaurant. Joe Yates was furious. "I am calling my lawyer!" he declared.

"Go ahead," Danny said. "We'll just go on with our work while you do that."

Mac shined his ALS light on the refrigerator door. There was no trace of blood on the door, but there were fingerprints. "Mac," Danny said. "I've got a question."

"What?" Mac asked as he opened the door of the refrigerator.

"If she was dead when they brought her here, how did her fingerprints get on that bar over there?"

"Good question. I think she was killed here somewhere."

"Then where is the blood?"

Mac looked at Danny. "I don't know, but I know they use heavy duty cleaners in these places so there might be no trace in that kitchen if she was killed in there."

"Where would they be keeping that woman until last night if they didn't kill her till then?"

Mac shook his head. "Too many questions," he said. "Let's just determine if she was kept in here."

"If they kept her in here, how come she wasn't colder than normal?"

"Danny, don't remind me of all those questions."

"Hey, we got to face them sooner or later."

Mac was shining his light around the walls of the refrigerator. "There are ovens in there," he said. "They could have warmed her back up before they threw her out there."

"She had to walk in there though because she had those things on her shoes," Danny pointed out.

"Right. So, maybe they killed her here the night before and then kept her in here until last night."

"How could they do that without the others knowing, especially that overbearing owner out there?"

Mac groaned. "Just look for evidence," he said.

"So, let's say this…" Danny said. "This Jonathan Wright decides that he's fed up with Lana keeping his daughter from him so he decides to end his suffering by ending her life. He plays on the sympathies of this Melinda character and gets her involved so they can run away together."

Mac stopped and looked at Danny. "What if he decides she's a witness that could ruin his plans?" he asked.

Danny scowled. "I guess she may find herself in an alley somewhere with her heart 'cleaved' in two."

Mac frowned at that analogy. He just kept looking for something that would suggest that there was a body kept in this refrigerator. "I still say these others around here had to know that this woman was killed here and stored in here," Danny said.

"I'm not sure of that," Mac said. "Janie wasn't here today."

"Because of a…"

Mac and Danny looked at each other with realization. "Because of a sick child!" Mac said. He grabbed his phone as he was leaving the fridge. "Keep looking, Danny."

Mac got out of the refrigerator so he could get reception. "Flack," Don answered.

"Don, get over to Janie Strong's apartment," Mac said. "She may be involved in this!"

"I'm on my way!"

Don turned his car around and turned the siren on. He called for backup and put his phone away. He wondered what else they were going to find in this case. He hoped it would not be any more corpses…


	11. Chapter 11

Don Flack arrived at Janie Strong's apartment and so did Jo along with backup. Don banged on the door of the apartment. "Janie Strong! Open up, N.Y.P.D.!" he yelled.

They listened but there was no sound. Don kicked the door in. He and Jo stood in the door staring at the scene. "I guess I better go and get my kit," Jo said as they were staring at the dead body of Melinda Carpenter. She looked at Don. "Looks like she was double crossed."

"I don't think I ever want to eat at that restaurant if it doesn't close down after all this."

"If the owner isn't sent to prison!"

"Yeah, that too."

Don got on the phone and called Mac. To say that Mac was upset would have been an understatement. "Why didn't we see that?" Mac asked in frustration.

Don did not have an answer for that. They had been working on this case for seven hours. It took a long time to figure things out sometimes. They had not had any idea that Janie Strong was involved with this guy. They had not even met her yet. Still, Don did not know why they did not get some sort of alarm bell going off when they were told that she had to take care of a sick child. He could not believe that the others working at that restaurant did not know about this either.

Mac was angry now, but he was still looking for evidence in that refrigerator. "Mac, I think I found something," Danny said.

Mac went over to where Danny was. He was looking at a big piece of plastic that was folded now. "No one would notice this," Danny remarked.

Mac looked at the plastic as they shined the ALS lights on it. "Definitely blood on it," he said.

"Why would they leave this here?"

"Maybe they didn't have time to retrieve it." Mac shined his light around the refrigerator. "Looks like there is plenty of plastic wrap in here. This one wouldn't be noticed with all these around."

"What do they use this for?"

Mac shined his light on a large meat carcass that was hanging in the refrigerator. "I guess they wrap meat in it."

Danny wrinkled his nose. "I don't ever want to eat here," he said. "They store dead bodies in here."

Mac gave him a scornful look. "Danny, don't even go there," he said.

They finally found the place where the body had been stored behind a rack of vegetables. Mac took pictures of the area and they took samples from the area which was a void in the condensation and it was also in the shape of a corpse. "I guess they could keep a body back here and no one notice," Danny said.

"Maybe," Mac replied. "They might have concealed it more with something else around here." He sighed and shook his head. "Question is: where are they now?"

"Right here!" someone said.

Mac and Danny whirled around starting to pull their weapons, but Jonathan Wright was standing in the doorway of the refrigerator with Joe Yates in front of him and with his weapon to his back. "Don't move," Wright warned.

Joe Yates looked like he was terrified. "Put down that weapon," Mac said.

"Are you kidding? Don't make any sudden moves, or I'll shoot him."

"Do you really think you're going to get away with this?"

"I think I'm doing pretty good right now." He pulled Yates backward toward the door. "Come on…oh, but first, take off your weapons and your cell phones and leave them there."

Mac and Danny looked at each other, but they knew they had no choice at the moment. They took off their weapons and laid them on the rack along with the cell phones. "Now, move," Wright said.

Mac was boiling mad. He would figure out how to get out of this. He and Danny went out of the refrigerator to find that Janie Strong was out there with a weapon too and she had it trained on Katie Furlow. "You can't get out of this city," Mac said. "Everyone is on alert!"

"Shut up," Janie said. "Just keep moving over to that freezer."

Mac suddenly knew what they were about to do. "You can't do this," he said.

"Watch us!"

They herded Mac and Danny over to the freezer along with Joe Yates. "Open the door!" Janie demanded.

Mac pulled the handle and was bombarded by the freezing air inside. "Get in there!" Wright said.

Mac was trying to figure out a way to get out of this, but he and Danny went on into the freezer. Jonathan Wright shoved Joe Yates and Katie Furlow into the freezer with Mac and Danny. Then the door was slammed shut. Mac ran to the door, but it was no use. "How are we going to get out of here?" Yates asked in a panic.

"Just relax!" Danny said. "Panicking won't help. Isn't there a safety mechanism on this door?"

Yates considered that. "Not that I know of," he said.

Mac was standing at the door. "There is, but they've disabled it," he said. He looked at Danny and Yates. "We're about to know how this frozen meat in here feels."

"I don't want to die!" Yates exclaimed.

"You think we do?" Danny asked. He thought of Lindsey and Lucy. "There's got to be a way out!" He went over to the door.

Mac grabbed his arm. "We can't panic," he said in a low voice. "You know the others will come looking for us."

"But when?"

"They'll know something's wrong when they don't hear from us."

Danny folded his arms and rubbed his arms. "It's cold in here, Mac," he said. "We can't survive long."

Mac folded his arms and looked at Joe Yates and Katie Furlow who were shivering with cold and fright. Mac took his suit jacket off and gave it to Katie. "Put that on," Mac said.

Katie was starting to cry. "Don't cry," Mac said. "Your tears will freeze."

Katie wiped the tears off her face and nodded. Then she put the jacket on. "Do you think we'll get out of here?" she asked.

"Our people will realize something is wrong and they'll come looking for us."

"How could they do something like this? Janie has three children."

"They're insane!" Yates declared. "How could all this be going on here?"

"You'd be surprised what people can be doing right under your nose," Danny said.

"Let's get over here together," Mac said. "If we sit over here close together, we can conserve body heat together."

They all came over to Mac and sat down close to the door. Danny sat down beside Mac and they all huddled together. "You ever been in a situation like this?" Danny asked.

"No," Mac replied.

Katie leaned on Mac's shoulder. He could feel her shivering. Joe Yates was on the other side of her, so Mac figured Katie would be pretty warm as long as they were still warm enough. "If I get out of here, I'm going to give Lindsey some roses and take her out to dinner," Danny said.

"Don't say 'if'," Mac said. "They'll find us. It won't take long for them to realize something is wrong."

Danny thought of something. "So, who were you talking to on the phone today?" he asked.

Mac thought of Jane. "A woman I met," he said.

"She must be something special."

"She is."

"You met her on that vacation you were on?"

"Yes. I met her down South. I spent almost a week with her."

"You think it's serious?"

Mac considered that. He knew it was serious. "Yes," he admitted.

Danny knew he would not get much out of Mac, so he just dropped the subject. He shivered next to Mac. "I sure hope they come after us soon," he said.

Mac hoped they would too, but he was sure they would…

Don Flack was trying to get Mac on the phone to let him know that they had found the murder weapon in the apartment of Melinda Carpenter. He was concerned when he did not get an answer. He went into the apartment where Jo was finishing up her investigation. "I can't get Mac on the phone," Don said.

"Maybe he's busy," Jo replied.

"I don't think so. Mac always answers."

Jo looked at him with one of her inquisitive looks. "You think they're in trouble?" she asked.

"I think maybe we should go and check."

As they were on their way to the restaurant, Jo was still trying to call Mac, but she could not get anything but the voice mail. "I think you may be right, Don," she said.

Don pressed the gas a little harder. He had a feeling that something was going on…

Mac was shivering now. The others were all crowded around him. He stared up at the ceiling of the freezer. He could see ice accumulated around the top and sides. He thought this would be a better way to die than being shot. He remembered staring into the barrel of that gun. Would he have even felt the bullet hit him? That had been quite a long time ago now, but he remembered it like it was yesterday. That had been what caused him to reevaluate his life. He felt like he had been around the world…and he met Jane. She was so beautiful and warm. He wanted to be wrapped in her arms now.

"Detective!"

Mac realized Katie was shaking him and trying to get his attention. He looked at her and realized he had been drifting. He did not think he had ever been this cold; no, he was sure he had not. Although he remembered a time when he had gone swimming in Lake Michigan before it froze. That was extremely cold, but he did not stay in there long and he had gone home and gotten warm. He had almost gotten frost bite from that.

"Detective!" Katie said again.

Mac looked at her this time. He felt incredibly sleepy. He realized that Joe Yates was already asleep and he thought Danny was too. Danny was lying over on his other shoulder. He wondered what the temperature was in this freezer. He figured it was somewhere around zero. They had to keep things very cold to make sure no bacteria got started in it. He remembered that victim that had been kept in the refrigerator. He thought they must have kept her in there until the next night when they had everything ready to get away and last night they warmed her up by turning the ovens on in the kitchen and then threw her out in the alley where she stayed all night and had plenty of time to thaw out before they found her. It had been pretty hot last night.

Mac started to feel like he was having trouble breathing. He felt like his lungs were freezing. He still felt Katie shaking him, but he was too sleepy to answer her. He did not want to give in, but he could not feel his feet or his hands. As a matter of fact, he could not feel very much of his body. He thought he could feel his heart beating. He could hear Katie crying. "_Don't cry_," he said…or he thought he said it. He was not even sure he said it. Maybe he just thought it.

Suddenly, Mac thought he felt some warmth and he thought he saw some light. Then someone was shaking him again. He was too sleepy, but he thought he felt some warmth on his face. "Mac!" someone said, but Mac did not think that sounded like Katie. "Mac!"

Mac finally got his eyes open and realized that Jo was in front of him. How did she get here? Then they were getting him up and…the door of the freezer was open. Mac realized they had been found. He was still so sleepy that he did not know how to appreciate that fact. The next thing he knew, he was lying down with an oxygen mask on. "Mac," Jo said. "Can you tell us what happened?"

Mac thought about that. He did not think he could tell anyone anything. "That's okay," Jo said.

Don was talking to Katie Furlow. She knew exactly what happened. She was shivering but she could still talk. She had been warmer than the others. She told Don how Jonathan and Janie had locked them in the freezer and how Mac had given her his jacket and they had sat together. "I don't know where Jonathan and Janie went," she said. She looked toward Mac. "Is he going to be okay?" she asked.

"I'm sure he will," Don replied. "He's a tough old goat."

As Mac was loaded into an ambulance, he realized he was wrapped in a blanket and he was feeling much warmer. Someone shined a light in his eyes. "You're going to be fine," the Paramedic said. He looked at Jo. "I don't think they were in there long enough to have any damage. Just a little hypothermia."

Jo was glad to hear that. Danny had already been asleep, but he had woken up pretty quickly when they got him wrapped in that thermal blanket. Joe Yates was recovering as well. The manhunt was still on for Jonathan Wright and Janie Strong. They had not been found as of yet, but Jo was sure they would find them. No one could stay hidden forever.

Mac woke up in the hospital feeling very warm. He had a headache too. He remembered that they had been locked in that freezer. He sat up suddenly. "Mac, you can't sit up," Jo said and tried to push him back down.

Mac looked at her. "They…how are the others?"

"Everyone is going to be fine. We got there as quick as we could when we realized something was wrong."

Mac shivered although he was not feeling cold right now. He thought he felt cold at his core. "They got the jump on us," he said. "We didn't know they were anywhere around. They must have made sure no one was in the restaurant and took Joe Yates and Katie hostage before they hijacked us."

Jo nodded. "That's what Katie told us," she said. "They killed Melinda Carpenter too. The same way they killed Lana."

Mac lay back down and sighed. "So, they used Melinda to get what they wanted and then they killed her," he said. "How did they get into this? Did they come here knowing each other?"

"I'll be glad when we find these two so we can find all this out. I think they're a regular Bonnie and Clyde. What are they going to do next? Rob gas stations and banks?"

"Who knows? We have to be careful when we go after them because of those children."

"Yes, I know. How are we going to handle that situation?"

"Very carefully."

Mac had to stay in the hospital until the next morning as well as Danny. There was still no word of where Jonathan Wright and Janie Strong were. Mac sat on the side of the bed with the covers over him. He had to get out of here. He was okay and very warm now. He thought they must have the heat turned up high in this room. He had not forgotten that it was summer outside. He wanted out of here and to feel some cooler air now. Just as he was about to get up, someone knocked on the door. "Come in," Mac said.

Jo walked in. "Morning," she said cheerfully.

"Morning."

Jo tilted her head to one side. "That didn't sound very cheerful," she said.

"I don't feel cheerful. I want my clothes and I want out of here."

"Well, if you give me your key, I'll go to your apartment and get you some clean clothes."

Mac looked at her a moment. "No thanks. I'll wear what I had on until I get home."

"You don't want anyone snooping around in your abode?"

"No, I don't." Mac wanted to say _especially you_, but he did not want to be too rude. He knew Jo was curious about everything and she might do more than get his clothes.

Jo got his clothes from the closet. "These might still be damp," she said. "You were pretty frozen when we found you."

"I know. How is everyone else?"

"Doing fine. They're getting out this morning too."

"Good."

Mac stared at Jo a moment. "Do you mind?" he asked.

"I'll see you in a while," Jo said. She walked out of the room.

Mac stared at the door a moment. He wondered if she would just stand there and watch him get dressed. He got dressed in his damp clothes and told Jo that she could come back in. The doctor had already told him that he would go home this morning. They had not been in the freezer long enough to cause permanent damage. Mac was glad of that. He still felt like he wanted to shiver, but he was sure he would get warmed up through and through when he got back out there in that summer heat. He just had to wait for the nurse to bring his release papers back.

"So, what are we doing today?" Jo asked.

"I hope we're going to find those fugitives," Mac replied.

"That's going to be hard. I think that is going to take time."

"Time we don't have. We have two murders and a missing child and no idea where these two are. They fooled us!"

Jo thought Mac was more upset about being fooled than about not knowing where those suspects were. She supposed they were still suspects, but then again, they knew that they committed all those crimes so they were offenders now.

Jo looked at Mac. "I really missed you while you were gone," she said.

Mac absorbed that. "I'm glad no one forgot me," he said.

Jo folded her arms. "Did you meet someone while you were gone?"

"I met a lot of people while I was gone."

"Oh, Mac, you know what I mean."

Mac blew out a breath. "I don't want to talk about that right now," he said. "Why is that so important to you?"

"Because I care about you."

"You have a life to live without worrying about me. Stop worrying about me."

"I can't. We're friends."

"I did meet someone, but I don't want to discuss that."

"That's who's been texting you and bringing that unusual smile to your face?"

Mac looked at her. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"I'm happy for you, Mac. What's she like?"

Mac shifted on the bed. "She's beautiful, smart, fun to be with. She had two children."

Jo smiled. "Two children, huh? Oh, Mac, you're about to enter a world of adventure."

"How do you know? We just met a few days ago."

"Mac, if that smile of yours is any indication, you're a basket case."

"Whatever."

Soon the nurse came and Mac got out of the hospital. He met Danny and Lindsey in the hall. "Hey, I'm going home," Danny said. "I'll be back in this evening or if we hear anything."

"Good," Mac said.

Just then, Katie Furlow came down the hall. "Thanks for letting me use your jacket," she said.

"You're welcome," Mac replied.

Katie kissed him on the cheek. "I hope you find them. I would have never thought Janie was in something like this."

"We'll find them."

Mac watched Katie walk toward the elevator then he looked at Jo, Danny, and Lindsey. "I assume that Jonathan and Janie will be trying to get out of this city, but if they tried to kill them once, they may try it again," Mac said.

"Good point," Jo replied. "I'll get someone on that."

"I'm going home for a while. I'll see you later."

When Mac got home, he was still sleepy. He yawned as he started to get undressed. He just dropped his clothes in the floor and got into the bed. He relaxed as he snuggled under the covers. He was tired and he was going to rest a while. He looked out the window and thought of Jane. He had to make some time somewhere so he could go and see her again.

Mac fell asleep and dreamed of Jane. He dreamed that he was at her house and they shared a lengthy, intimate kiss which did not stop at a kiss. He finally fell off the bed, but did not know it until he woke up later in the floor with all the covers over him. He pulled the covers off his head and looked around him. Then he remembered that dream he had. He lay his head back down on the floor and sighed. That was a vivid dream and it was not even night time.

Just then, someone knocked on the door. Mac pushed up on his hands. He got up and kept the blanket around him while he went to the door. "Who's there?" he asked.

"It's Jo."

Mac looked back toward his room. He certainly did not want her in here while he was like this. "What do you want? I'm…not dressed." Did he really want to say that? Then again, everyone was naked some time in their life. However, he thought Jo had a vivid imagination.

"I just came to pick you up. I thought you might need a ride to the precinct."

"I'm not ready yet."

"What have you been doing?"

Mac thought she was awful nosey. "Sleeping!" he said.

"Okay. I'll wait for you in the lobby."

Mac blew out a breath. He went back to his bedroom and got a shower and got dressed. He thought he must have been really out when he got into bed. He looked at his watch and it was almost Noon. No wonder Jo was here trying to get him up. He went out the door and found Jo sitting in the lobby of the building. "It's about time," she said.

"So I was sleepy," Mac said. "What happened? Did we get a call?"

"No."

"Well, I could have gotten a cab back to the lab."

"Oh, I didn't mind waiting. Besides, you need to let this new intern know that he can relax."

"The new intern, huh?"

"Yeah, the one you almost made wet his pants yesterday?"

"I have a good place for him."

They went out to the Avalanche and headed back to the lab. "So who is this woman, Mac?" Jo asked. "Where is she from?"

"Why are you so interested in that?" Mac asked. "Why do you keep asking me?"

"I'm just curious, Mac."

"You're always trying to butt into my personal life. I don't discuss that with people."

"I discuss mine."

"That's your privilege, but it's also my privilege to keep mine to myself."

"I promise I won't tell anyone else."

"I know that, Jo, but I don't want to discuss this with you."

"You can't even tell me where she's from?"

Mac looked out the window. "Mississippi."

Jo's smile widened. "A Southern Belle. You'll never get away from her!"

Mac rolled his eyes as Jo laughed. He did not think he wanted away from Jane. He did not want her to find out about that dream he had. She might think that was all he wanted. It was not all he wanted. He wanted love and family…too. He could not deny that he definitely wanted the other.

Jo heard Mac sigh. She wondered what he was in such deep thought about. He even let her drive. She thought he had been very irritable the last few days. He seemed to be especially snappy at her…and the new intern. She wondered what he had planned for the poor guy.

When they got to the precinct, they went up to the lab. "Go easy on the boy," Jo said.

Mac left the elevator and went into the lab where the new intern was staring at a screen. When he saw Mac, he jumped up, much like Adam used to do. "Sir!" he exclaimed.

"Don't call me sir," Mac said. "Come with me."

Mark followed Mac out of the lab. "Where are we going, s…I mean…"

"Just call me Detective Taylor for now."

They went to the elevator and got in. Mac stood there as though he were at attention. Mark wondered where he was taking him. Soon, they arrived at the morgue. "Come on," Mac said.

Mark followed Mac from the elevator. "You ever witnessed an autopsy?" Mac asked.

"No, sir…I mean…"

"Never mind that. Today, you're going to see your first autopsy."

They went over to Sid. "Afternoon, Sid," Mac said.

"Mac, I'm glad to see you up and about," Sid said.

"Thanks." Mac put his arm around the new intern. "This is Mark. He needs to see his first autopsy. I'm sure you can educate him on what we do here."

Sid had an amused look on his face. "I'm sure I can," he said.

"Good." Mac looked at Mark. "See you later." He slapped him on the back as he walked away.

Sid looked at Mark. "Well, since this is your first time in autopsy, I guess we need a bucket nearby," he said. "I'm sure you'll get used to it before we're done here, although I don't remember how many autopsies I had to do before I could do it without taking breaks. There's a certain smell that goes along with this and it just lingers in your nostrils for days if you have a corpse that's been rotting for a long time. The only ones that really don't have that smell are the mummies. That is an incredible experience to do an autopsy on a mummy…"

Mac almost laughed as he was walking to the elevator. He knew Sid would talk that guy's ears off before the day was over. He went back up to the lab. When he came from the elevator, Jo was standing in the hallway with her arms folded. "Where did you take that boy?" she asked.

"What boy?" Mac asked.

"The one you just practically dragged from this lab."

"Boy? Boys don't work in this lab. Only adults work in this lab. If he's a boy, he needs to go home."

Jo's mouth dropped open as Mac went around her and walked on to his office. She followed him and went into the office. "Where did you take him?" she asked.

"Autopsy," Mac said, as though it were obvious.

"You took him to autopsy?"

"Yes. He needs to see what we really do here. By the time he gets done down there, I'll just bet he won't refuse to shake my hand."

"Mac, that is just mean."

"Mean? I don't think it's mean. He needs to learn something about this profession. This is not a game we're playing here."

"Mac, they all have to learn. He's just getting started in the lab."

"So, he's going to learn something today that will help him."

Jo could see that she was not going to get Mac to have any sympathy for the poor boy, so she decided to give up. "Well, I have the autopsy results from Melinda Carpenter," she said. "I'll bring you the file."

"Thanks," Mac said without looking up from his desk.

Jo thought he was becoming very annoying. She went on down to her office to get the file. Mac looked at her as she was leaving. He chuckled slightly. He did not feel like any nonsense today. He looked through all the files on the case they had been working on. Jo soon came back with the other file. "We have to be missing something," Mac said.

"If we have, I have not figured out what it is," Jo replied. "I have stared at this file until my eyes feel like they want to pop out."

Mac leaned back in his chair. "I don't know where they would be going. Are they both native New Yorkers?"

Jo looked in the file about the two suspects. "Janie Strong is from Louisiana," she said.

Mac's heart jumped. He thought if they went down there, he could just swing over through Mississippi to see Jane while he was down there. He cleared his throat. "Where in Louisiana?" he asked.

"Natchitoches."

Mac raised his eyebrows. "Say that again," he said.

"Natchitoches," Jo repeated. "It's a little town Southeast of Shreveport. I've been there before. They have the greatest little festival down there this time of year."

Mac thought a moment. "Maybe they're going down there," he said. "Get Flack on that. I want him to find out where she has family down there or anything else."

"I'll get on it," Jo said. She stood up and walked to the door. She looked at Mac. "Maybe we should take the new intern down there with us."

"Very funny."

"Well, you wanted him to learn." Jo went on to her office.

Mac shook his head. She always had to have the last word. He wanted that new intern out of his hair for now. That's why he took him down to the morgue. He would let him roast down there all day and then go and get him.

Mac worked on paperwork the rest of the afternoon. At around 6 pm, Don Flack came up to the lab with a file in his hand. "Mac, I found out where Janie Strong has family down in Natchi…whatever," he said. "You know, there are some strange town names in this country."

"Yes," Mac replied. He took the file and looked at it. "Have you contacted any of these people?"

"Not yet. Do you really think they would tell us if they were down there?"

"No." Mac stared at the file for a moment. He figured they would have to go down there and see if those two were there. "We might as well get ready to go down there. I'll contact the law enforcement down there."

"So I'm going too?"

"Yes. We'll take Jo with us too since she knows how to deal with children."

Don sighed. "You think it will come to that?" he asked.

"It could. These two people are cold-blooded murderers."

"Makes me wonder if they haven't done this before, but I can't find anything anywhere that says they have."

"There are a lot of unsolved murders in this country. Maybe they committed some of those."

"Then why would they be so careless with this?"

"Anger."

"Well, I'll be ready when you're ready."

"I want us to get down there tomorrow morning. I want to get this over if they're there."

"I'll be ready."

Mac called the law enforcement down in Natchitoches, Louisiana and told them the circumstances. They were none too happy about New York City police officers wanting to come down to their town and "take over". "We're not coming there to take over," Mac informed them. "We're coming down there to find two murderers who have kidnapped a child and there are three other children involved now too."

"I understand that," the police chief said, sporting a strong Louisiana accent. "However, you're not sure that they're here, so you need to let us investigate that before you come storming in here upsetting things."

"We're not going to come storming in. All we want to do is come down there and find those two and do it as quietly as possible."

"You guys don't do things the way we do here."

"We can't do things the same way. We have a lot more people here. Besides, I am only bringing two officers with me. The rest will be up to you guys, but we have to find those two."

The chief was silent for a moment. "Okay," he said. "You'll be coming in the morning?"

"Yes."

"I'll be looking for you, Detective."

Mac hung up the phone. He knew Louisiana had a different justice system than New York, but they had the death penalty there. However, judges in Louisiana did not have to consider the laws of New York for their rulings. Mac leaned on his desk. Then he thought of Mark down in autopsy. He had forgotten about him.

Mac headed for the elevator just as Jo was coming toward his office. "Where are you going in such a hurry?" she asked.

Mac did not want her to know that he forgot about Mark. "You be ready to go to Louisiana in the morning," he said and kept walking.

Jo looked after him. "So, are we going to walk there?"

"No!"

Mac got in the elevator and went down to autopsy. He expected to walk in and see Mark maybe sitting in a chair with his face ashen or throwing up in a bucket, but instead, he was leaning over a corpse with Sid. Mac stopped with his mouth open a moment. He walked on into the morgue. "Sid," he said.

Sid looked up at Mac. "Hello, Mac," he said. "We've had a great time today. I'm glad you sent this young man down here."

Mac folded his arms. Mark looked at Mac, not looking a bit like he was discouraged or sick in any way. "So, have you learned anything today?" Mac asked.

"Yes, sir," Mark said with enthusiasm. "I am glad you brought me down here."

Mac sighed. "Well, it's time for you to come back up to the lab," he said.

"Can I stay until we're finished with this?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

Mark went back to the autopsy table. Sid looked at Mac with an amused look. "He's quite a trooper," Sid said. "He had a little trouble at the start, but he overcame it well."

Mac knew his plan had failed. "Just send him back up there when he's done here," he said and headed for the elevator.

Sid smiled. He was glad to find a young person who might want to work in this morgue some day. After all, he would not live forever.

Mac came out of the elevator at the lab and went to his office. Jo saw him go into his office, so she came down there. "You think we're going to find them down there?" she asked.

"They're going to find out if they're there," Mac said. "They could be there."

"You forgot about Mark down there, didn't you?"

"So what if I did?"

"I called earlier to see how he was doing. Sid said he was having a grand time."

Jo smiled as Mac sighed. "Your plan backfired," she said. "You thought he couldn't handle it."

"Well, since I know he can, I guess he will be a good hand around here," Mac said. "Nothing wrong with a little test."

"Oh, Mac, it was more than a test and you know it. You wanted to scare him away."

"I just don't want any more frustration right now."

"Frustration is part of life."

"I seem to have more than my share sometimes."

"Mac, I saw your face light up when you thought we might have to go to Louisiana. I know what you're thinking."

Mac stared at her a moment. "And just what is that?" he asked.

"You want to take a detour. So go ahead! There's nothing wrong with that."

"Why don't you mind your own business?"

"Can't you admit that it crossed your mind?"

Mac leaned on his desk. "Yes, it crossed my mind. Are you happy?"

"Yes. I'm happy that you're interested in someone."

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child. It's not like I've never gone down this road before."

Jo sat down. "Mac, every road we go down is not a dead end or a gloomy trail with no brightness to it."

"It seems like that for me."

"Have a little faith."

Mac cleared his throat. "I don't want to talk about this," he said.

"You need to talk to someone. You can't go through life alone and never having anyone to confide in. Everyone needs a friend to talk to sometimes."

Mac knew she was right. "I know," he admitted. "But I'm the head of this crime lab."

"And you can't show weakness or need. That's not true, Mac. You're a human being like all the rest of us."

"But all these people depend on me to keep this lab running and this city depends on me to get these criminals off the streets."

"Yeah, but they know you're a person. You have to have a life beyond this."

Mac rubbed his face. "You're right. I'm not going to argue with you."

Jo had never seen this side of Mac. He was admitting that he had feelings and that he had needs. "I'm glad you're admitting it," she said.

"I just don't know how to make this happen anymore."

"You can't 'make' it happen. You have to 'let' it happen."

Mac looked at her. "You're so used to running this lab and striving to make things work, you don't know how to give in anymore," Jo said. "Why do you think we have vacation time? People have to live beyond their work. To love someone is not weakness, Mac. It makes you stronger. You're not standing alone. Two people are a lot stronger than just one."

"You're right." Mac thought about Claire. He had loved her and she had supported him like the pillar of a building. He had collapsed with those towers and he had not gotten that strength back since then. "It's hard to move on."

"I know that."

Mac looked at her. "You know that your husband still loves you. I know that is none of my business, but if Claire was alive, I would crawl all the way across this country on my hands and knees to get to her."

Jo stared at him. "We just had some irreconcilable differences," she said.

"Things that could be worked out because he loves you. You butt into my life, I'm going to butt into yours. You don't have to be alone."

"I'm not alone. I have my children."

"That's not the same thing. Deep down, you still love him too and you won't let yourself admit it."

Jo stood up. "Well, that's enough of that," she said. "I'll see you in the morning."

Mac watched her walk back to her office. She could dish it out, but she could not take it. He would be going down South in the morning. He did not know how that would turn out, but he hoped it was like he wanted it to be…


	12. Chapter 12

The next morning, Mac, Jo and Don boarded a flight to Shreveport, Louisiana. They would drive to Natchitoches from there. Although there was a small airport in Natchitoches, it did not have large planes landing there. Mac sat beside the window with Jo in the middle and Don on the aisle. "Well, I hope this is an uneventful flight," Jo remarked.

"Me too," Mac agreed. "I don't mind not having any turbulence."

Don sighed. "I don't think I've ever been on a flight where there was no turbulence," he said. "I guess that's why I usually just stay in New York."

"Well, on a three-hour flight, you have to expect some turbulence."

"Oh, I could do without the complaining," Jo said. "I try to look on the bright side of things."

"I know," Mac and Don said in unison. They looked at each other in surprise.

Mac just looked out the window. He did not expect that, but it was true. He found it hard to like someone who was _always_ cheerful. Jo folded her arms. "Well, excuse me," she said. "I'll try not to be so…optimistic."

Don looked out the window on the other side of the plane. He thought people had to learn the truth eventually. They might as well not go through life thinking everyone likes them or their attitude. Not that he did not like Jo, but he did not like to talk to someone who always tried to make things not seem as bad as they really were, because that did not lighten the situation. Once that little pep talk was over, the situation was still just as bad as it was before. He did not think optimists helped much when a situation was bad, but he tried to see the bright side of his job…if there was one. He was trying to help people. Right now, they were on their way to try and find two murderers who had children in tow. He hoped this did not turn out badly.

Mac yawned as the plane began to taxi down the runway. He was not usually so sleepy, but he thought he could sleep this whole flight. He thought he had gotten lazy while he was on that vacation. He had slept a lot while he was on the sailboat. There was not much else to do when one was drifting across the Pacific Ocean and there was nothing in sight but water for miles and miles. He had enjoyed it though. He had learned that he could relax and that he did not have to be on his job ALL the time. When he got home, everything was still like he had left it. They had not burned down the lab and the city was not overrun by criminals any more than it was before.

When they landed in Shreveport, Mac was asleep. Jo nudged him. "Wake up, Sleeping Beauty," she said. "We've landed."

Mac opened his eyes and looked out at the tarmac. He yawned. "Well, I guess we didn't have any turbulence," he commented.

"No, not even a nudge."

"I am ready to get off this plane," Don said. "I hate long flights and I also hate going to the bathroom on a plane."

They left the plane and got their luggage, which was just a duffle bag in case they had to stay overnight. "So, do you think someone is here to get us?" Jo asked. "That would be the courteous thing to do."

"Who's courteous?" Don asked.

"Oh, haven't you ever heard of Southern Hospitality?"

"Yeah, but I don't know if I've seen it."

Jo gave him one of her tolerant looks. "I take that back," Don said. "I have seen it in you a lot."

"Thank you," Jo replied.

They went on out of the airport and found a car rental store. When they had a car, they headed down to Natchitoches with Don driving. Mac sat in the back seat. He could not help but think of how close he was to Jane. He did not want to go back to New York without seeing her. His heart could not take the thought of that. As they got further out of Shreveport, the countryside became more rural and beautiful. "Don't you just love these trees?" Jo asked.

"I always love trees when I see them," Don said.

"If we were in the Bayou, you would just be mesmerized."

"With the alligators? No thanks. I'll just cope with the human animals."

They noticed that there was no conversation coming from the back seat. "I think he's in his own world," Jo remarked.

Don did not care to comment on that, but he had noticed that Mac was quiet since he got home and that he seemed preoccupied all the time. He looked back at Mac who was looking out the window as though he were seeing past the scenery into another place. "He's in love," Jo said as though it was a secret.

"In love?" Don asked. "With who?"

"A woman he met on his vacation."

"Really? Who is she?"

"I don't know but he's in love."

Don looked at the Interstate they were traveling on and saw a sign with the word "Natchitoches" on it. "So, how do you pronounce this word?" he asked.

"Nack-e-tosh," Jo said.

"So, half of those letters aren't even part of the word," Don remarked.

Jo smiled. "We just pronounce things different down here."

Don thought her Southern drawl was getting more pronounced now that they were down here in the South. "Does everybody down here talk like that?" he asked.

"I'd say that most of us do," Jo said. "There are some that have a more pronounced accent and some with an accent all their own."

Mac noticed what they were talking about. He remembered Jane's accent. He thought he must be lovesick. What was he supposed to do about this? He found it hard to even concentrate on his job. He knew everyone was wondering what was wrong with him. He figured Jo thought she knew all about it. She did not know anything. He felt like his heart was in a turmoil that he could not get out of. He did not want to be going down here after two murderers, he wanted to be going the other way to see Jane. But he knew this was important. These people had to be made pay for killing those two women in New York. He would see to that.

They arrived in Natchitoches at around 8am. They found the police station and went inside. Mac walked over to the counter. "Excuse me," he said.

The officer at the desk looked at him. "Yes, sir, what can I do to help you?" he asked.

Mac showed him his badge. "I'm Detective Mac Taylor from New York," he said. "I'm here to see the chief."

"Okay. He told us you'd be coming. Just a minute."

Mac turned back to Jo and Don as the officer went to tell the chief that they were there. "You think this is going to be a big manhunt?" Don asked.

"Probably not," Mac said. "They already know they're here, so maybe we won't have much trouble finding them."

"Unless they figure out that we've figured out that they're here," Jo remarked.

"Well, don't start looking on the dim side now."

"Oh, so you need my optimism now, huh?"

"Yes."

"Okay, well, chances are that they don't know a thing about what's going on here and they think they're safe out there in the countryside where everyone minds their own business."

"Thanks."

Soon, the chief came from his office. "Detective Taylor," he said with his Southern Accent. "Come right on in."

"Chief Winslow," Mac greeted. "These are two of my associates, Jo Danville and Don Flack."

They followed the chief into his office. "Have a seat," he said as he motioned for two of his officers to come into the office. "We have located your two suspects. We had a talk with Janie Strong's mother and found that she is staying out there at her old house. Her mother had no idea that they had committed a crime. She thought Janie had just gotten tired of New York and moved back here. She says Janie had been talking about it for more than a week."

Mac took the files from his briefcase. "I'm not surprised," he said. "They planned this murder and they had it well thought out. I don't know how they got down here so fast, but they have to answer for these two murders. They also murdered another woman who was supposedly helping them until they no longer needed her."

Chief Winslow looked at the files. "Isn't that just the way it goes with this kind of stuff?" he asked. "They think they're getting something when they're just being used."

"Yeah and now these two have to pay and we have to get those children to safety."

"I assume the children will stay with their grandmother. Now, didn't you say that there was another child involved in this besides Janie's three?"

"Yes," Mac replied. "Her name is Danielle and she is Jonathan Wright's daughter."

"He kidnapped her from her grandmother when they took her mother," Jo added. "They must have convinced her to go along with them to keep from scaring the little girl or they made the child think that everything was okay by telling her that she was going to live with her daddy for a while."

"Most likely," Mac said. "There are no signs of struggling or anything on the victim, so I would say that they used the child as leverage against the mother to get her where they wanted her."

Jo shook her head. "How can someone use a child like that?" she asked.

"They were desperate."

"Outraged."

"I have a team together," Winslow said. "I have sent some detectives out there. They have seen the two suspects and they have seen some of the children, but not all." He gave pictures to Mac.

Mac, Jo, and Don looked at the pictures. "That's them alright," Don said.

"They had to fly down here," Jo said.

Mac considered that. "They must have had a charter flight," he said. "Or they had someone who was willing to bring them down here."

"For what?"

"Maybe they have money we don't know about."

"That's possible."

"Not unless they had it hidden in the mattress or somewhere like that because they don't have big accounts in the bank," Don said. "I checked out everything."

"What about Melinda Carpenter or Lana Green?" Jo asked.

"Nothing unusual."

Mac shook his head. "There has to be something we're not seeing, but at the moment, we're more concerned about getting these two without causing any harm to those children."

"Right," Chief Winslow agreed. "We want to try and do this without incident."

"I agree."

The chief soon had his team together. Mac, Jo, and Don got ready as well. Mac made sure his weapon was loaded and that he had an extra clip. He did not know what to expect from these people since they were out there in the middle of nowhere with who knows who around them that might like to get involved in a good fight. He was more concerned about those children though. They would be innocent bystanders…and victims if they did not do this right. He intended to get Jo in there to them right away while the others were distracted.

They were soon trekking through the woods toward the house where the suspects were thought to be hiding. The chief seemed to be sure that they were there. They stopped a few feet from the house and waited to see what was going on. The windows were closed and there was nothing moving outside. They listened closely and heard what sounded like laughter. "Sounds like the kids are playing," Jo said. "At least they're not being deprived of that."

"They most likely don't know anything's wrong," Mac whispered.

They sneaked down to the house and half the others went to the front with the chief while Mac, Jo, and Don went to the back. "When we get in there, I want you to find those kids," Mac whispered to Jo. "Keep them out of the line of fire."

"I will," Jo replied.

Before they got to the back door of the house, Jonathan Wright came running out and headed into the woods. "N.Y.P.D.!" Don yelled. "Stop!"

Wright did not stop. He kept right on running. Mac and Don went after him while Jo went on into the house. "He could get lost out here and never be found," Don remarked.

"Let's just don't lose him," Mac said.

Wright went out into the woods and got out of their sight in a thicket. Mac and Don soon found that he had not gone 'through' that thicket because it was a briar patch. Don jerked his hand back as one of the briars snagged his finger. "Come on!" Mac said as he headed around the patch.

They soon got around to the other side and caught a glimpse of Wright as he was running further into the other side of the woods. "There he goes!" Don said.

Mac hoped they would not become hopelessly lost out here in these woods. He remembered being lost in those woods when that guy was trying to kill him. He had no desire to repeat that. He could see Wright as he was darting between trees. They were too far behind him. Mac hoped he did not have a car waiting out there somewhere. He also hoped he was not leading them to an alligator lake.

Soon, they did come out of the woods and there was a lake in front of them. "Whoa!" Don exclaimed as they saw a big alligator lying beside the lake on the other side.

"Just come on!" Mac said. He saw that alligator go into the lake coming that way.

"I don't think those things come in single digits!" Don said.

"Just come on!" Mac repeated.

They ran around the side of the lake where Wright had gone, but they did not see him anywhere. "Mac, can't we get away from this lake?" Don asked. "That alligator looked like it was hungry!"

Mac looked at him, but he had to admit he was a little worried about that alligator. "Come on!" he said.

They went on around the lake and soon came to a city park. There were lots of people out there. "He could be anywhere," Don declared. "How can these people be out here like this with their kids when there's a ferocious beast out there only a few feet away?"

"We don't live here, Don."

They went over to someone and Mac showed him a picture of Jonathan Wright. "Have you seen this guy?" Mac asked.

"Yeah!" the man said. "He just come runnin' through here and nearly knocked me down!"

"Which way did he go?"

The man pointed. "That way! He went on over yonder to the pavilion."

Mac and Don headed that way. "I just hope we don't meet jaws again," Don said.

"Will you stop worrying about that," Mac said.

They reached the pavilion, which had a small recreation area and a restroom. Mac pointed for Don to check the men's bathroom and he would check the women's. Don nodded and headed on to the bathroom. Mac went to the women's bathroom and shoved the door open suddenly. There was a woman in there and she screamed. Mac showed her his badge. "Shhhh," he said. "Did you see a man around here?" He showed her the picture of Jonathan Wright.

"No," the woman said. "He certainly did not come in here."

"Sorry for frightening you."

Mac went over to the men's restroom to see what Don had found. "Nothing," Don said.

They went on around the pavilion and came to a parking lot. They noticed Jonathan Wright on the other side of the parking lot trying to get into a car. "Stop right there!" Mac yelled.

Wright whirled around and then took off running. Mac and Don went after him. He ran out toward the town and finally came to the festival that was going on. "You've gotta be kidding me!" Don exclaimed. "Are they always doing something in this town?"

"Let's just keep up with him," Mac said.

They could see Wright going through the crowd of people and knocking some people down and others were yelling at him as he went by. "Doesn't this guy ever get tired?" Don asked.

"Stop him!" Mac yelled, deciding to ask the citizens for help, since Wright did not seem to be armed. He had not fired at them.

There happened to be a National Guard Soldier standing at one of the food booths. He noticed what was going on and heard Mac yell for someone to stop that guy. When Wright came by him, he stuck his leg out and tripped him. Wright fell sprawling right on his face. Mac and Don descended on him and put handcuffs on him. "You're under arrest!" Don said. "For murder!"

"He's a murderer?" the soldier asked.

"Yes," Mac said. He shook the man's hand. "Thanks for your help…and thanks for your service."

Mac and Don got Jonathan Wright up and headed out of the park. "We'll just go back down here," Mac said. He called Jo and told her that they had Wright in custody.

"Everything's okay here," Jo replied. "Janie Strong surrendered. I guess she does care about her kids. She didn't leave them."

"Alright, well, we're in town here."

Mac put his phone away and he and Don waited for a police car to come and get Jonathan Wright. They put him into one of the cars and got into the other themselves. Mac blew out a tired breath. "It is hot out there," he said as he wiped sweat off his forehead.

"No kidding," Don said. "I thought I wouldn't make it. My clothes are wet."

"I want to get this over and go to a hotel and get a cold shower."

"Yeah, that sounds good to me. I wonder when this heat wave is going to end."

"I hope it's soon."

They arrived back at the precinct not long before Jo and the others arrived. Jo had a little girl with her that Mac recognized as Danielle. "The other three children are with their grandmother," Jo said. She squatted beside Danielle. "Danielle, this is Detective Taylor."

Danielle looked up at Mac. "Did you shoot my daddy?" she asked.

Mac was surprised by that question. "No, I sure didn't," he answered. "Your dad is fine."

"Why can't I see him? Is he in trouble? Are you taking me back to mommy?"

Mac frowned. Jo stood up and took Danielle's hand. "Come with me," she said. "There's someone here that you need to meet."

Mac watched them walk away. He was glad he did not have to handle that. He supposed they had a counselor here for these situations. Mac called Danny at the lab in New York and told him that they had the situation under control. "We have the child," Mac said. "Tell her grandmother that she can either come down here and get her or we will bring her back."

"I'll take care of it, Mac," Danny said.

Mac put his phone away. Don came over to him. "So, when can we get out of here?" Don asked.

"Soon," Mac replied. He walked away from Don and texted Jane: _I'm in Louisiana. I'm going to do my best to see you before I go back to New York._

Soon Mac got a text back from Jane: _Oh, I can't wait! When are you coming? Today?_

_ If possible, but it may be tomorrow morning._

_ I look forward to seeing you._

_ Me too._

Mac put his phone away and sighed. He had to go over there since he was this close. He would not be deprived of that. Jo walked up beside him. "So, what's next?" she asked.

"We have to get all this situated," Mac said.

It took them the rest of the day to get all the information and reports done for the case. Jonathan Wright and Janie Strong would be extradited back to New York, but it would be a day or two before that.

Mac yawned as he, Don and Jo walked out of the police station. "Don't do that," Don said as they went out to the rental car. "Where are we staying tonight?"

"I know a place," Jo spoke up. "I haven't been there in years and I want to stay there again. It's a beautiful bed and breakfast in one of those beautiful old Antebellum homes."

"Is it comfortable?" Mac asked.

"Are you kidding? It's one of the nicest places you'll ever see."

Jo showed Don how to get to the place and they went inside. "They don't call this a bed and breakfast for nothing," Jo said. "They have a multi-course breakfast every morning and we get to eat in a beautiful dining room."

"Okay, we're sold," Mac said. "Let's just check in."

They checked into the Inn and got their rooms. Mac walked into his room and could hardly believe it. It was definitely antique. He had not seen furniture like this in years. He dropped his duffle bag on the bed and took out some clean clothes. There was a container of chocolates on the nightstand and coffee, just about anything he could ask for. All he wanted right now was a shower and probably some sleep. He got out of his wet clothes and took a shower as cold as he could stand it. Then he got dressed. He thought of seeing Jane the next day. He could hardly wait. He went downstairs because he smelled something delicious. He met Jo in the front room.

"Don't you just love this place?" she asked.

"I'm starving," Mac said. "I smell food."

"Oh, Mac, is that all you can think of?"

"No, but right here it is."

Mac went on toward the kitchen. He had plenty on his mind, but that was tomorrow. A woman was in the dining area setting the table. "Supper isn't for another thirty minutes," she said with a strong Louisiana accent.

"It smells delicious," Mac replied.

"I'm sure it is. You're not from the South, are you?"

"No, Ma'am, I'm from New York."

"Well, you're about to partake of a truly Southern meal. Tonight is a special night when we feed the guests supper. We'll also have a gourmet breakfast in the morning."

"I'm looking forward to it."

Mac left the dining room and went back out to the parlor. Jo was looking around the room and looking out the windows. "This old place is just beautiful," she said. "I wish we had time to explore it more."

"I'm leaving early in the morning," Mac said. "I want you and Don to bring the prisoners back to New York."

Jo folded her arms. "I'll just bet I know where you're going."

"I'll bet you do too, but I want to go since I'm this close."

"You don't have to explain anything to me. I'm glad you're going. Don't let this chance get away from you."

Mac looked at her a moment. "I don't intend to," he said. "You should take your own advice."

Mac turned and went back upstairs. Jo watched him. She could not believe that he thought she could get back together with Russ. She did not even want to think about that. That was impossible. Mac did not know how annoying Russ was. She went up the stairs and knocked on Mac's door.

Mac opened the door. "What?" he asked.

"Why do you think I can get back together with Russ?" Jo demanded.

"Because you still love him and I know he loves you."

Jo folded her arms. "He wants to possess me."

"Well, why can't you just possess each other?" Mac closed the door.

Jo's mouth dropped open as she stared at the door. "Why you!" She knocked on the door again.

Mac opened the door again. "What now?"

"I don't want to be possessed!"

"You take it the wrong way. I loved for everyone to know that Claire was my wife because she was so incredibly beautiful, and I wanted everyone to know how lucky I was to have her and they couldn't have her."

Jo was incredulous. "That is just…and she put up with that?"

"I never heard her complain about anything except those long hours I spent off at war."

Jo was speechless that time. Mac closed the door and went back to his bottle of water. He was tired, but he wanted to get some of that 'supper' down there. He smiled. People usually said 'dinner' up North. 'Dinner' was in the middle of the day here. He would see his Southern Belle in the morning and he could not wait…


	13. Chapter 13

The next morning, Mac got on his way to Mississippi at around 5am. He got some breakfast before he left and it was delicious. He wanted to get going and see Jane. He went back to Shreveport and got a flight to Memphis and from there he drove the rest of the way. It seemed to be a long, lonely road. He drove through the town where that tornado had been through. He could see people still picking up debris. It had been over two months since that happened. He remembered talking to the officer about it. Mac shook his head. He could hardly believe a town could be wiped out like that. He soon arrived at Jane's house. His heart was pounding by the time he got there with anticipation.

Mac got out of the car as Jane came out on the porch. Mac just stood there and stared at her for a moment, hoping that he was not dreaming this time. He wanted to run to the porch, but he just went in a fast walk. He walked up on the porch and they stared at each other a moment. "Come inside," Jane said.

Mac followed her in and then they grabbed each other in a tight embrace. "I missed you so," Mac whispered.

"I missed you."

They shared a lengthy passionate kiss. Mac could not believe how much he had missed this. He squeezed her to him in a tight embrace. Jane loved the feeling of Mac's arms around her and the way he caressed her. "Where are the children?" Mac asked.

"They're taking a nap," Jane replied.

Mac looked at her. "I have missed you so much," he said. "I know it hasn't been long since I was here, but I feel like it was forever."

Jane wanted to tell him never to go away again, but she knew he had a job that called for him in New York and he lived there. How would they ever work this out? She supposed they would have to work it out because they had already met now and they could not deny the feelings they had for each other. "Let's sit down," Jane said. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Yes," Mac said. "I am so tired from flying and driving."

"I have lemonade."

"Sounds good."

Jane brought them both a glass of lemonade into the living room. Mac sipped the lemonade. "Good," he said.

Jane sat down beside him. "So, how was your trip to Louisiana?" she asked.

"Well, we caught those two and got the kids to where they belong. Jo and Don are taking them back to New York. I am going back tomorrow."

They looked into each other's eyes. "So we have until tomorrow," Jane said.

"Yes." Mac sipped his drink again. "I want to cherish every moment."

"We can go out tonight."

Mac definitely wanted to do that. He had not felt like this in quite a long time. "How can you feel this strongly about someone when you haven't known them very long?" he asked.

"I've been trying to figure that out," Jane said. "Then again, some people don't have to date a year or two before they know what they want."

Mac looked at her. "I don't need a year. I don't even need another minute."

"We live a long way apart."

Mac nodded. "Yeah, we do, but miles can't separate two people who love each other."

"I know, but they make it hard sometimes."

Mac set his glass down and took Jane's hand in his. "They won't keep me away from you," he promised and kissed her hand.

Jane caressed his face. "So handsome," she said.

Mac smiled slightly. "Not near as you are beautiful."

"I might not agree with that."

They kissed again and lingered until Mac's phone rang. "Excuse me," he said. He took his phone out and answered.

"Mac, the little girl's grandmother is coming down here to get her," Don said. "We're taking the two prisoners back tomorrow morning."

"Good," Mac replied.

"So, when did you leave this morning?"

"Early."

Don smiled. "Have fun."

"Thanks. Goodbye, Don."

Mac heard Don laughing as he ended the call. He did not know why everyone found his personal life so amusing. He looked at Jane. "They're wrapping things up down there in Louisiana," he said.

"I guess that's good."

Mac moved closer to her and they continued their kiss. Mac let himself get lost until he felt like they were the only two people in the world and they were lost in the fiery passion. Then he felt a tap on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Jane's five year old son standing there. Mac gasped and almost fell off the couch. Jane stood up. "Brian," she said. "What are you doing?"

"I woke up," Brian answered.

"Well, okay."

Mac was totally embarrassed. He was not used to children being around. He did not think Jane had thought of this either as she was straightening her hair with her fingers. She took Brian into the kitchen to get something to drink. Mac blew out a long breath. They had gotten carried away. They would have to be more careful; even though they had been doing nothing but kissing, it was a very intimate kiss.

Mac leaned back on the couch and waited for Jane to come back. Soon, she and Brian came from the kitchen. Brian was drinking koolaid from a glass. Jane sat down on the couch and Brian came and sat down between her and Mac. Mac sat up straighter and looked at Jane. She smiled at him hoping that he knew everything was okay. He looked at Brian. "So, did you have a good nap?" Mac asked.

"Yes," Brian answered. "Trudie is still asleep. She sleeps longer than I do because she's a baby."

Mac smiled. "Yeah, babies sleep a lot more than the rest of us," he said.

"She used to sleep all day almost."

Mac nodded. "She can walk now though."

"Yeah and she likes to climb up."

Brian jumped up. "I'm going to play now," he said and ran to his room.

Mac smiled and looked at Jane. His smile faded. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't think of him waking up and coming in here."

"Don't worry about it," Jane said. "We were only kissing and I didn't think of it either and I'm his mother."

"We'll be more careful from now on."

"Yes."

Mac reached for her hand and kissed it. "I was kinda getting carried away," he said.

Jane smiled. "I think we both were."

"I want us to be careful. I don't want to do something we might see as a mistake later."

"I agree. Things like that are supposed to be special not on a whim."

Mac looked into her eyes. "I would love to express my feelings for you."

"Well, I am not sure I'm ready for that yet. My husband has only been dead about a year."

"I understand that. It's hard to give in to another relationship. I wish I had been more careful."

Jane caressed his cheek. "Don't worry. We're not gonna go wild."

"I'm not really known to be wild."

"Me either."

Mac smiled. "I guess some people would say I was boring."

"You're kidding. I think you're very interesting."

"Do you?"

"Absolutely. You're a detective. Fascinating people."

"Thanks." Mac sighed. "I've never had a family before. My wife and I never had children together. I don't know much about that."

"You just have to take one day at a time."

"I guess."

"You just have to see what they will do during the day."

"Always different?"

"Yes. And Brian starts to Kindergarten this year."

"Wow. Is he in preschool?"

"No, but he's smart."

"I'm sure."

That night, Mac and Jane went out while the two children stayed with her mother. "It's been a long time since I went on any dates," Jane remarked. "I'm usually just at home."

"Even mothers deserve to go out sometimes."

"We don't though."

They went to an Italian restaurant and got a table. "I love this place," Jane said.

"I've always liked Italian," Mac said.

They looked at the menu and ordered their meals. "So, you're going back tomorrow," Jane said.

"Yes," Mac replied. "I'll have to leave early in the morning. I have to be back on the job."

"I understand."

Mac leaned on the table and smiled at Jane. "I feel so much freer now," he said. "I'm not afraid to pursue this relationship. I want to see where it can go."

"Where do you want it to go?" Jane asked.

Mac considered that as he gazed into her eyes. "I want it to go where we both want it to go. I think we could have a meaningful relationship and maybe have a future together."

"I think so too. It's so much better to have someone else around than to be alone all the time. It gets very lonely."

"I know. I want someone to share everything with again."

Mac looked out the window. "The problem is that I live in New York," he said.

"Long distance relationship."

Mac looked at her. "I couldn't wait to get back here to see you again. This time will be longer."

Jane laced their fingers together. "I'll be here when you come back," she said.

Mac smiled. "I know," he said. He kissed her hand. "I will come back too."

"But we have tonight."

"I want to make the most of it."

"I think we will."

When they were done eating, they went to a movie. "I think this movie is a little more romantic," Jane said.

Mac smiled. "Probably a lot less violent too," he replied.

"I liked the other one though."

"Me too. It was good."

As Mac sat watching the movie, he wondered how this relationship would go. He could see himself flying back and forth to New York and here. He knew it would be hard to keep it going, but he was certainly going to try. He thought he had found what he had been looking for all that time. He certainly had gone through a lot of trouble to get here. He thought he should have come here first, but that time on the ocean had helped a lot. He had thought out everything and let go of his grief. It still tried to come back, but it could not consume him anymore. He would not let it…he would have a life besides work…

The next morning, Mac woke up in his hotel room. He turned over on his back and looked at the ceiling. For the first time in his life, he did not want to go back to New York. He wanted to stay right here. He had said goodbye to Jane last night after their date. He could still feel the kiss they shared. He had wanted it to last forever, but he supposed everything had to come to an end. He looked out the window and considered going to her house again before he left this morning. He looked at his watch. He did not have time. He had to get up and get ready and get up to Memphis to go back.

When Mac got back to New York, he got a cab to his apartment. He yawned as he walked into the apartment. He could not sleep today, he had to go to the office. He dropped everything on the bed and got a shower and got dressed in a suit. Then he went to the office.

As Mac came from the elevator, he saw Mark, the new lab tech standing in the hall. "Mark," Mac growled under his breath. He did not like the idea of people hiring people to work in this lab without his consent, and furthermore, his attempts to get rid of the guy had failed. He walked over to Mark, and stopped in front of him. Mark looked up at him and dropped the file he was holding.

Mac looked down at the file, then at Mark. "Why are you so nervous?" he asked.

"I just want to make a good impression," Mark replied.

Mac looked at the file on the floor with the papers scattered. "I don't think that's the way to do it."

"Yes, sir!" Mark bent down to pick up the file.

Mac headed for his office. "Come in here when you get done," he said.

Mac went into his office and sat down at his desk. Soon, Mark came hurrying in with the file he had been looking at. "I'm sorry about that, Sir," he said.

"Don't worry about that," Mac replied. "Sit down."

Mark sat down on the couch. Mac looked at him a moment. "I didn't hire you," he said. "You were hired without my approval. I admit, I thought you would quit when I sent you down to the morgue."

Mark swallowed. "I kinda enjoyed that," he said.

"Yes, that is what I understand." Mac leaned back in his chair. "I guess I'm going to have to get used to you."

"I look forward to working with you. You're one of the best."

"Flattery will get you nowhere."

"I'm sorry."

"So, what are your ambitions?" Mac asked.

"I want to work in the field," Mark answered. "I want to become a detective."

"So, what's your work experience? I usually ask people all these questions 'before' they're hired."

"I have my degree in forensic science and I have worked in Atlanta, Georgia for a year."

"So, what brought you up here?"

"More work and more experience."

"Are you married?" Mac asked.

"No, sir. I'm still single."

"Well, all I expect is for you to do your best," Mac said. "Everything in this lab has to be done by the book. If we make mistakes, criminals go free. We can't afford to slip up with evidence."

"Yes, sir."

"And don't call me 'sir'. Just call me Mac."

"Mac, right."

Mac stared at Mark a moment. "Why do you not like to shake hands?" Mac asked.

"Germs," Mark said. "Do you know how many germs people can have on their hands?"

Mac stared at him a moment. "I run a very clean lab," he declared.

"Oh, yes, sir! I don't doubt that at all, but people can have germs on their hands that they don't even know about. The germs might not even affect them, but they can pass them on to someone else and make them very sick."

Mac absorbed that. He leaned on his desk. "Have you ever heard of washing your hands before you eat?" he asked.

"Yes, sir, but you know how people can touch their faces."

"How did you get into this line of work?"

"I want to bring justice to victims."

"Well, you're going to be in some pretty nasty situations," Mac said. "We have to work with blood, bodily fluids of all kinds, dirt, mud…you name it."

"Yes, sir, I understand that."

"So, what are you going to do when you have to work with something like that?"

"I'll be wearing gloves, sir."

Mac frowned. "Whatever." He leaned back in his chair. He thought he could not win this argument.

Mark was quiet a moment and then he looked at Mac. "Were you here on nine-eleven?" he asked.

Mac looked at him. "What?" he asked.

"Were you here on nine-eleven? This is the tenth anniversary this year."

Mac shifted in his chair. "Yes, I was here," he said.

Mark looked like he was fascinated. "What was that like to actually be here?" he asked.

Mac stared at him a moment. "The most horrible experience you can possibly imagine," he said.

"Did you know someone in the towers? I've never actually met anyone who had a loved one in the towers."

Mac cleared his throat. "Yes, I did."

"Who?"

"My wife."

Mark's eyes widened. "Your wife? How long were you married?"

"Sixteen years," Mac said. He stood up. "Just go on about your business. We'll see how you do today."

"Did they ever find your wife?"

Mac pushed Mark toward the door. "I'll talk to you later," he said.

"But, sir, I just want to talk to you a few more minutes," Mark said.

"I don't want to talk about that. We have a case to finish anyway."

"What case?"

"The one we have been working on and went all the way to Louisiana about."

"Oh, the one about the murdered woman in the restaurant?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"You caught the guy. I heard about that."

Mac put his hands on his hips. Mark was not easily gotten rid of. "I just wanted to know," Mark said.

Mac sighed. "I don't like to talk about that," he said. "Besides, you should learn not to ask about such personal things."

"They never found her? There were so many that they never found."

"That's right."

Mac closed his office door and went to his desk. He turned his chair around and stared out the window toward Ground-Zero. He could still see that plane flying into the building, taking his beloved Claire away. He remembered seeing those towers burning and smelling the stench when he was finally able to leave this building. He remembered the last time they were together. It had been that morning, actually. He had planned to bring her roses that night. She had wanted them to take the day off that day and have fun together, but he thought he had to be on his job. Why did he not take the day off like she wanted? If he had…

Mac shook his head. He could not go back into that, but there was no way to forget it. Thanks to that new intern, he was thinking about it again. He had not thought about it for a few days. And this year would be the tenth anniversary of that horrible day. There was always a lot going on on that day, but this year would be even more, he supposed. He knew that he was not the only one. He could not get engrossed in this again. He wanted to move on with his life. He had loved Claire and they had been happy together, they had a good life together, they had satisfied each other's needs and desires.

Mac turned his chair around and looked out of his office, or he would have…Jo was standing at his desk. Mac stared at her a moment. "Do you get some kind of weird satisfaction by sneaking into my office?" he asked.

"I was just wondering what you were thinking about," Jo said.

"When did you get back?"

"About an hour ago. I saw you staring out there into space and I just thought I'd see if you'd notice me."

"Well, I see you now."

"What were you thinking about?"

Mac just stared at her a moment. Jo cocked her head to the side. "You're not going to tell me, are you?" she asked.

"I don't remember any rules that say I have to."

Jo narrowed her eyes. "Well, your suspect is in interrogation," she said.

"He's not a suspect," Mac said. "He's guilty." He stood up and got his file about the case. "Let's go."

Jo followed him from the office. "We're not done talking about this," she said.

"I kinda expected you to say that," Mac said.

"So, how did your visit go? Did you enjoy it?"

Mac heard that little inflection she put on "enjoy". "Yes, I _enjoyed_ it," he said, making sure to put the same inflection on the word.

Jo smiled. She liked to see Mac's vindictive side. "So, how much did you enjoy it?"

Mac looked at her. He knew she was just trying to tease him and push his buttons. He decided that maybe he would just embarrass her. "Well, if you're asking if we had sex, the answer is no," he said.

The elevator opened and Mac walked in. Jo was standing there with her mouth open, but she walked into the elevator. "That wasn't exactly what I was saying," she said.

"Yes it was," Mac said. "You're nosey and you want to know about my sex life."

"I do not! I just want to know if you're happy."

"I don't know. I think you just want to peek into other people's lives because you're lonely yourself and you know you don't have to be."

Jo folded her arms. "Will you stop that?" she asked.

Mac turned toward her. "Why?" he asked. "You're always picking at me about everything. You don't want me to talk to you about anything."

"Why are you so irritable with me?"

"I'm not irritable. I'm talking in a very calm voice."

"But you're always directing your frustrations at me."

"What frustrations? I think you're a frustration and you frustrate me by always butting in."

"I'm not butting in. I just want to know whether you're happy or not."

"Why is that so much of a concern to you?"

"Because I care about you and you have not been very happy at all since I met you and you bury yourself in work trying to avoid going home and I know that you have things buried inside trying to act like Superman when on the inside you're falling apart!"

"That's your opinion!"

"No, it's not, it's the truth and you won't admit it!"

"Well, you just want to analyze my life because you don't want to admit that you made a mistake divorcing your husband and you want to pretend that you're so perfect and that you don't love him at all, and I can tell when he's around you that your heart is fluttering inside. You ignore that so you want to accuse me of ignoring relationships to throw off your own feelings!"

"That is not so!"

"Yes it is."

Mac and Jo realized the elevator doors were open and everyone in the squad room was hearing what they were saying. Mac cleared his throat and walked out of the elevator. "What's wrong with all of you?" he asked. "You never seen anyone have an argument before?"

Everyone went back to their own business. Mac walked over to Don who was trying to keep a straight face. "Don't even say anything," Mac said.

"I don't have anything to say," Don replied. "You ready to take that guy in there apart?"

"I'm ready to take somebody apart," Mac grumbled.

Don watched Mac go into the interrogation room and then he noticed that Jo was standing beside him. She put her hands on her hips and stared at him a moment. "I didn't say anything," Don said with his hands up.

"But you thought it," Jo replied.

Mac laid his folder on the table in the interrogation room. "Okay," he said. He leaned on the table and looked at Jonathan Wright. "Don't you want to make this easy for me?"

"Why would I want to do that?" Wright asked.

"Because I thought you would want to tell me why you killed this woman." Mac laid a picture of Lana Green on the table. "Your ex-wife. Why did you kill her?"

"She wouldn't let me see my kid," Wright said. "My own daughter! She acted like I didn't even have any right to her!"

"Don't you know there are laws protecting people's rights to see their kids? Why didn't you tell someone?"

"I tried that! I don't have money to go to lawyers! So I decided to take the law into my own hands!"

"Yeah, you took that little girl's mother from her. Now, she doesn't have her mother or you!"

Wright seemed to consider that. "She's better off without her mother. All she did was tell her lies about me!"

"Now, that little girl will have to grow up and find out that her father murdered her mother! What do you think she's going to think about that?"

Mac picked up his file and left the room. He was tired of that piece of trash. He went back around to Don Flack. "Put him back in lockup," he said.

Mac headed back to the elevator and Jo followed him. They got into the elevator and stood ignoring each other. Jo could not believe that Mac thought she could go back to Russ. How could he think of such a thing? She could not stand the thought of it. Mac thought she had too much pride to admit she was wrong. She was not wrong! What did Mac know anyway? She frowned at that thought. He knew plenty. She would not admit it if she was wrong…but she was not!

Mac walked out of the elevator at the lab. He was glad that case was closed. He went to his office to write out his report of what happened in Louisiana and today. As he was about to start his report, Jo walked in. "Don't you ever knock?" he asked.

"Why should I knock?" Jo asked. "The whole office is made of glass."

"So? This is still my office and you could show me a little respect."

Jo folded her arms and walked out of the office and then knocked on the door. Mac rolled his eyes and motioned for her to come in. Jo walked in and stood in front of his desk. "Is that better?" she asked.

"Yes," Mac replied. "Now, what do you want?"

"We're not done talking."

"I don't think we were talking. We were shouting at each other and arguing."

"I kinda liked seeing that side of you."

"Knock it off will you? I don't want to argue with you. I'm sorry for yelling."

"I think it does you good, but I'm sorry too."

Mac frowned. "Is that all you want to say?"

"No. I don't like the idea that you think I am trying to butt into your life to ignore my own problems."

"You are. You have problems and you just want to act like you have none by butting in where you don't belong."

Jo sat down on the couch. "I can't believe you," she said. "How could you possibly think that I could go back to Russ? We could not get along and I told you why."

Mac looked down at his report a moment. "Life is too short to argue over things like that," he said. "Love is too scarce and you're missing out on happiness."

"I 'am' happy."

"Maybe, but you would be happier." Mac looked at her. "You know what love does for someone."

"You're talking the impossible."

"I don't think I am. I can't see Jane every day. I have to travel about a thousand miles to see her."

"So, her name is Jane?"

"Yes."

"Your eyes light up when you're talking about her."

"She makes me feel happy. I know if it works out, I can have a good future."

"I hope it does."

Mac looked out of his office and then at Jo. "I think you have a visitor," he said.

Jo looked around to see Russ coming that way. She looked at Mac with the same look she always had when she saw her ex-husband. Mac grinned slightly. "I'm sure he's here to see you," he said.

"Oh, don't remind me," Jo said and went out to meet Russ.

Mac smiled as he went back to his report. He could not wait to see Jane again. They had a lot of fun talking and going places together. He never wanted it to end…


	14. Chapter 14

It had been two months since he saw Jane. Mac was standing on the street with Danny as Danny was questioning a murder suspect. Mac had been finding himself more and more distracted. He wanted to see Jane, but he had to work. It took a long time to go all the way down to Mississippi and he just did not have that time now. They talked on the phone a lot and sent emails and texts, but that just was not the same thing.

As they were standing there, suddenly, a bike messenger came by in one of their fast moving rides. Mac barely had time to move out of the way, but he felt a pain in his side and thought the guy had hit his ribs. "You alright?" Danny asked.

"Yes," Mac replied.

Danny went back to questioning the suspect. Mac realized he was starting to feel funny and that pain in his side was getting worse. He looked down to see a knife handle sticking out of his right side. He touched Danny's shoulder and said, "Danny," in almost a whisper.

Danny looked around to see Mac falling to his knees. "Mac!" he exclaimed. He got down beside Mac who looked so pale, Danny thought he would pass out. Then he noticed the knife handle. "He's been stabbed!"

Danny grabbed his phone as he was helping Mac to lie down. He called for an ambulance. "Mac, you stay with me!" he said.

Mac felt like he was gasping for air and then he coughed up some blood. He grabbed Danny's shirt. "Don't you dare give up!" Danny said. "You got to see that pretty Jane again!"

Tears filled Mac's eyes as he thought of Jane. "Tell her I love her," he whispered.

"NO! You're going to tell her yourself!"

"Tell her, Danny," Mac begged.

"Where is that ambulance?" Danny looked at the knife in Mac's side. There was no way of knowing how deeply it had gone in. He knew that bike messenger had to do this.

Soon, Danny heard sirens and Don Flack arrived. "Danny, what happened?" he asked as he jumped out of the car. They could hear more sirens coming.

"Some bike messenger came by here and stabbed Mac in the side!" Danny said.

Don knelt beside Mac, who was looking very pale. "Mac, you hang in there," Don said.

Mac coughed up more blood. "I can't breathe," he whispered.

Soon, the ambulance arrived and the paramedics began working on Mac. "Did you get a look at the guy?" Don asked.

"No, I didn't pay him any attention," Danny said. "All I knew was he almost ran over Mac and Mac didn't even know he had been stabbed for a minute or two."

"Which way was the guy going?"

"That way," Danny said and pointed. "I think the bike was green. I saw a flash of green."

Don wrote that down. "Did you notice what color clothes the guy was wearing?"

"No. Mac was closer to him. I think it was a guy. He was going so fast and I was questioning this guy here."

The murder suspect was still standing there. "Did you see anything?" Don asked.

The man considered that a moment. "I saw some guy on a bike come by," he said. "I'm sure it was a guy. He was wearing a beige hoodie."

Don wrote that down. "Did you notice where the bike went after it got by here?"

"I think he turned down that alley there."

Don looked the way Danny had said the bike had gone. He called in the report and then he and Danny headed to the alley as Mac was being loaded into the ambulance. "We have to find this guy," Don said.

"You think this has anything to do with that trouble Mac had over in Hawaii?" Danny asked.

"It's possible. He took down a crime boss."

"I hope Mac will be okay."

"We'll go see about him after we see if we can locate this guy."

Mac was in the ambulance barely conscious. He knew he was in the ambulance and that a paramedic was leaning over him. He saw some sort of contraption on his face. He supposed that was an oxygen mask. He looked at the ceiling of the ambulance and thought of Jane. What would she think when she found this out? She might reconsider having a relationship with him. Did she want to be tied to a man who was in danger of being killed all the time?

The next thing Mac knew, he was in a hospital room. He looked at the ceiling and then at the door. There was no one else in the room. He felt sleepy but he did not feel any pain. As a matter of fact, he did not think he felt much of anything. Just then, a nurse came in. She smiled at him and adjusted his IV bags. "How do you feel?" she asked.

Mac considered that, but he did not know how to answer right now. She would have to ask later. He woke up again much later. This time, Jo was in the room. "Well, it's about time you woke up," she said.

Mac just stared at her a moment and then he looked at who was standing beside her. It was Russ Josephson. "Hi," he said. "I've seen you looking better."

Mac was confused at the moment but he said, "Have you looked in the mirror?"

Russ laughed. "I think he's going to be fine," he said.

Jo folded her arms. "Yeah, he will and he'll be as ornery as ever," she said.

Mac grimaced and groaned. "How long have I been in here?" he asked.

"Just since yesterday," Jo answered. "You were lucky. That knife blade just barely scraped your lung. If it had been another inch up, you would have been in serious trouble."

Mac considered that. "That bike messenger did this," he said. "I remember he came by and bumped me and…"

"He stabbed you as he went by. He was found murdered last night. He was working for someone."

"Right," Russ said. "We think he might have been connected to that crime boss you brought down."

"How do you know he was murdered?"

"His fingerprints were on the knife," Jo said. "He was careless. Some guy that they picked up to do it for the money."

Mac looked at the ceiling. "They have connections all over," he said.

"We're trying to run down his connection with that crowd."

"Probably came through so many channels that you would never be able to run it back to Samantha or John."

"You're probably right," Russ agreed. "They cover their tracks well. That's why it's so hard to catch these people."

Mac felt sleepy. He could not seem to resist falling asleep. Russ and Jo watched him a moment and then looked at each other. "If they're after him, he's in danger," Russ declared. "They'll keep trying until he's dead."

"What is he supposed to do?" Jo asked.

Russ sighed. "I don't know. He could go into the witness protection program."

"He would never do that. And besides, he's just found this woman that he's crazy about and he would never want to give that up."

"They don't need to find out about her. They will target anyone to get at him."

Jo folded her arms. "There has to be a way to get it stopped. They need to block all their communications from prison."

"It will be, but they always have ways. You block them and they talk to someone else and they talk to someone else…and on and on and on. These people are so connected, you wouldn't believe it."

"Yes I would. Don't forget, I worked in that mess for years. I know what they do."

Russ nodded. He reached for Jo's hand and she put her hand in his. "I'm glad we're going to try and work things out," he said.

"Me too," Jo replied. "You can thank Mac for making me see that we could try. He's right, life is too short to spend it fighting with someone you love."

"I agree."

"Something he said just made me want to try and work things out."

"Like what?"

"He said if Claire was alive he would crawl on his hands and knees all the way across this country to get to her. That just struck me so hard. I want to at least try."

"Me too. I'll try not to act like I 'own' you, although I do like for people to know you're mine."

Jo gave him a sideways look. "Maybe I'll like them knowing that you're mine too," she said.

They smiled at each other and then looked at Mac. If they got married again, they would have to make sure he was there…

Mac got out of the hospital two days later. He was very sore and could not go to work. He went to his apartment and lay down on the bed. He thought he was getting lazier all the time. He had talked to Jane a lot while he was in the hospital. She was worried sick about him. If he had to spend a lot of time off work, he would just go down there. He would not lie here in his apartment and sulk and long to see her, he would just go.

Just as Mac was about to fall asleep, his phone rang. He took it off his side. "Hello," he answered sleepily.

"Mac, are you home?" Don asked.

"Yes. I just got here a while ago."

"I would have driven you."

"A cab was fine." Mac thought he would fall asleep talking to Don. "What did you want?"

"Just checking on you. We haven't found any connections that guy had and we haven't been able to figure out who killed him either."

Mac absorbed that. "You might never know," he said. "I have to go."

"Talk to you later."

Mac ended the call and put his phone on the bed. He had to sleep. He was too tired to stay awake any longer…

Mac woke up to someone knocking on his door. He got up and went to the door. Danny and Lindsey were there. "We just wanted to come by and see how you are," Lindsey said. "Do you need anything?"

Mac rubbed his face. "No, I'm fine," he said. "I think I've been asleep ever since I got here." He looked at his watch and it was 6pm. "Wow, I slept all day."

"Being in the hospital makes you lazy."

"I know."

"You need anything?" Danny asked.

"No, I'm alright. I've got everything I need…I think."

"Well, if you need anything, just let us know."

"Thanks."

"See you tomorrow, maybe," Lindsey said.

Mac nodded and closed the door. He yawned. How could he feel so tired? He thought he must be sleeping off all that medication they gave him in the hospital. He went back to the bedroom and got undressed and got into the bed this time.

The next morning, Mac woke up when his alarm came on. He did not want to get up but he had to get up if for nothing else, to change the dressing on his wound. It was aching this morning and stinging down inside it. He had been very lucky that it had not gone through his lung or he would probably still be in the hospital or maybe even dead.

Mac got up and yawned as he walked to the bathroom. He looked in the mirror. He had a lot of stubble this morning. He remembered when he was on his sailing adventure that he had grown a goatee. He did not want to do that again. He had liked it while it lasted, but he did not think that was how he wanted to look. He showered and shaved and got dressed in jeans and an orange t-shirt. He went into the kitchen and started some coffee. As he was waiting for it, he thought of his situation. Would they try to kill him again? If they wanted to, he was sure they would want to try and attack him while he was vulnerable. He had not expected them to attack him. It had been a few months since all that happened with Samantha and John. Mac wondered if she was really his niece. He was not sure of anything. All he knew now was that he had to be more cautious but he did not want to go through life afraid.

Mac sat down at the table as he thought of Jane and her kids. What would he do when he went to visit them again? What if these people tried something…Mac shook his head. NO! Nothing was going to keep him away from Jane. These people would not rule his life around. He would just let her know what was going on…if anything was going on. He was not sure that the guy was even connected to that crime mob, but the fact that the guy had been murdered was a pretty good indication. He had to go and see Jane. He had heard that they were having bad weather down there again since it was Fall now. They had that weather down there in Spring and Fall. Mac knew weather like that occurred all over the United States at times, but it was more prevalent down in the South and in the middle of the country.

Mac poured himself some coffee and went into the living room. He turned the TV on to see the news just as his phone rang. "Hello," he answered.

"Mac," Jane said. "How are you feeling this morning?"

"Better now that I hear your voice."

"You're so sweet. When are you coming to visit again?"

"I was thinking of calling the airline this morning and getting a flight down there. I have the next three days off so I might as well be down there."

"Be sure and tell me when you're coming. I miss you so much."

Mac sighed slightly. "I miss you more than I can say. I know I've said that before, but it's true."

"I hate it when you're not here."

"I want to be with you every day. When I was injured, all I could think of was you."

"Hurry and get here."

"I will. I'll be there as soon as I can."

"I'll be waiting for you."

They ended the call and Mac leaned back on the couch. He stared at the TV but he was not really seeing it. He was thinking of holding Jane in his arms again and kissing her lips. It had been two months and he was tired of waiting. He got his phone and called an airline and got a flight to Memphis, Tennessee. He kinda liked that drive from Memphis to the town that Jane lived in. However, it was a long drive. He was not sure he would want a long drive but he had no choice. Memphis was as close as he could get. He would be getting anxious by the time he got to her house. Her youngest child was in Kindergarten now.

Mac thought of his journey which would start this afternoon. He had to get packed. He would stay down there for the time he was off work, and he hoped they would find a new height to their relationship…

When Mac got to Jane's house, it was pouring down rain and there was plenty of lightning. Jane came out on the porch. Mac got out of the car and stared at her a moment even though he was getting soaked. He finally ran to the porch and stared at her. "You're going to freeze," Jane declared.

"I don't think so," Mac replied.

Jane smiled. "Come inside."

Mac followed her in and Jane closed the door. The children were in the living room. "Hey, guys," Mac said. He shivered now. "I guess I might be a little cold now. I should have brought my bag in. I better go and get it."

"Oh, you can't go back out there."

"I'll be okay."

Mac went out and got his bag and ran back in. He was really soaked now. "Come in here," Jane said. She led him to the bathroom in her bedroom. "Just put your wet clothes in that basket and bring them to the laundry room and I'll wash them for you."

"Thanks," Mac said.

"The towels are right there and the hair dryer is there too."

Jane started to leave, but Mac caught her hand. He pulled her close to him. "I have been waiting to kiss you a long time," he said. They shared a long kiss. "I think that thawed me out."

Jane smiled. "I'll make some coffee," she said.

"Great."

Jane went back to the kitchen. Mac looked in the mirror and blew out a long breath. He had not even checked into a hotel. He supposed he could do that after they went out tonight…if the weather permitted. He would not mind staying here if Jane asked him to. She had not mentioned that.

Mac finished getting undressed and got into the shower. He was freezing so he had it as hot as he could stand it. He had to hurry and get out of here because of the lightning. He got his shower and got out. When he was dressed, he took his dirty clothes to the laundry room. Jane came in there and put them in the washer. Then they looked at each other. "I have missed you," Mac said.

"I have missed you too," Jane replied.

They shared a long kiss that left them both breathless. "Do you think we'll be able to go out tonight?" Mac asked.

"A little rain never hurt anyone," Jane said as she caressed his cheek.

"I don't think I'll melt. We'll wear jeans and t-shirts so we won't have to worry about it."

Jane smiled. "My favorite attire."

"Mine too. I'll check into a hotel tonight while we're out."

That night, Jane got dressed in a t-shirt and a short blue jean skirt with boots. Mac was surprised when he saw her. "Nice," he said.

Jane smiled. "Thanks," she said.

Mac noticed her t-shirt and he smiled. Jane's smile widened. "I thought you would like it," she said.

"I do," Mac replied.

Jane's t-shirt said "A Detective Loves Me". "I had this made last weekend," she said.

"Great."

"I also had one made for you."

"Really. Where is it?"

"Come on." They went into Jane's room and she took out the t-shirt which said "I'm in love with a Future Detective".

Mac smiled. "Hey, I'll wear this tonight," he said. He took his other t-shirt off and put the new one on. "How is it?"

"Fine."

They left the children with Jane's mother and went out to eat. They just stayed in town since it was raining and could get stormy. When they were done eating, they went to the theater which was much smaller than any Mac had ever been in. After the movie, they ran out to the car through the pouring rain. "You want to go with me to check into a hotel?" Mac asked.

"Sure," Jane replied.

"I'll get that done and then I'll take you back home."

They drove out to one of the only three hotels in town. Mac thought it was pretty big to be in such a small town. It was a new hotel. He checked in and they went to find his room. "This is nice," he said.

"Yes," Jane replied. "I've never actually been in here."

Mac put his luggage into the bedroom and went back into the other room. Jane was looking out the window. Mac could not help but notice how she looked in that skirt. It was not 'too' short, but it was a little above her knees. He walked over to her and Jane turned to him. "A lot of lightning out there," she said.

Mac squeezed her shoulders and brushed her hair back. "I love you," he whispered. He brushed her lips lightly.

Jane put her arms around his neck as Mac's arms tightened around her. "I love you too," she said.

Mac felt his heart racing. He kissed her and moved down to her neck. He kissed her lips again and then looked into her eyes as his hand was moving up her leg. "So sexy," he whispered.

Jane pushed Mac's jacket off his shoulders and he let it fall to the floor. He thought he would completely lose his breath. It had been a long time since he felt this way. He grabbed Jane in a tight embrace as they were locked in a passionate kiss. He put her on the couch and lay down on top. As they were discovering new heights of passion, they heard a loud crashing sound. "What was that?" Mac whispered.

"I don't know," Jane replied.

Suddenly, someone banged on the door. "Evacuation!" he exclaimed. He banged on the door again. "Everyone has to get down to the basement now!"

Mac got up off the couch. "What is he talking about?" he asked.

"I don't know," Jane replied. She was starting to get worried. She looked out the window at the storm. The lightning was almost constant.

Mac went to the door. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Everyone has to get down to the basement!" the clerk said. "Tornado coming!"

"What!" Jane exclaimed. She grabbed her cell phone as they were running out of the room.

Mac showed the man his badge. "I can help you," he said. "How many floors have you been to?" he asked.

"Just this one."

"I'll take the third," Mac said. He looked at Jane. "You get down to that basement. I'm going to help."

"Mac, no!" Jane protested. "I want you to go with me!"

"I have to help. Just go. I'll be there soon!" Mac kissed her. "Just go."

Jane was crying as she went along with everyone else to the basement. She had called her mother and found out that they were already in the storm house. She sat down in the corner of the basement with the others. Everyone was scared and nervous. There were children who were scared too. Jane was worried about Mac. She certainly did not want to lose him.

Mac was arriving at the third floor. He knocked on several doors and got the people on their way to the basement. He went down the next hall and got two more out. There were windows on either end of the hall he was in. As he was about to go on down to the next door, he noticed that the window on that end was bulging inward and then it went outward. Mac had known fear in the war, but he had not known fear like this. He turned around and saw that the window on the other side was doing the same thing as though it were breathing. Mac turned to run back toward the other hallway, but before he could get there, both windows exploded into shards. Mac hit the floor and covered his head as glass rained around him. It was traveling so swiftly he could feel it cutting his clothes and his skin in places. Then he felt himself sliding across the floor.

Mac gasped as he realized the tornado was pulling him. He grabbed the corner of the wall and held on as his feet and body left the ground. He was holding on with all his might. He hid his face as best he could as the wind was blowing grit and dirt at him. He could hear and feel his ears popping and he thought he would lose his breath.

As Mac was struggling to try and hold on, he heard a loud creaking noise. He could not look up because the wind was so fierce, but he heard a loud pop and tearing sound and he saw the roof leave the building. Then he was airborne…

Jane was crying and huddling with everyone else as they could hear the tornado destroying the hotel. She wondered where Mac was. He was not in the basement and she knew that anyone who was up there in that hotel would not have a very big chance of survival. She sobbed as she did not want to give up hope on Mac. He could not be dead…he just could not…


	15. Chapter 15

Jane followed everyone else out of the basement after they finally were able to get out. The exits had been blocked all night and they were finally cleared by a rescue team. Jane was still crying. Mac was nowhere in sight. She was afraid he was buried in that rubble. The tornado had not destroyed the entire hotel, but the second and third floors were gone. Someone put a blanket around Jane and led her over to an ambulance. "Have you found anyone named Mac Taylor?" Jane sobbed as she sat down at the ambulance.

"I don't know," the paramedic replied. "Are you injured?"

Jane shook her head. "How can I find out if you found him?"

"There's really nowhere that we can go to find out yet. They're going to get a list together of the people who have been found."

Jane sobbed. "What about phones?" she asked. "Can I get in touch with my mother to let her know that I'm okay?"

"We'll try to get you home if your house is not…"

Jane nodded. "Okay." She could not help but cry. She did not want to believe that Mac was dead…

It was dark…so dark, in fact, that he wondered if he was blind. He was shivering and so cold, he wondered if he would die…and then the pain hit. He could not stop shivering and it brought pain. Mac realized he was completely naked and something was lying on top of him from the waist down and he did not know where his left arm was. He could not feel it or move it. He moved his right arm and it was not broken. He touched his face which was wet. As a matter of fact, he was wet all over. He looked up at the sky and realized he could see some stars. He could not see anything else. He remembered what happened…a tornado had come through here. He had been on the third floor of that hotel and he had…

Mac realized he had been in that tornado. He remembered his shoes leaving his feet although he was being pummeled with all sorts of debris and he was knocked unconscious. He did not remember his clothes being stripped off, but he had heard of things like that before where people were found completely naked after a tornado had taken them away. He supposed it was the grit and debris in the storm that just shredded the clothes until they were completely torn away.

Mac wished he could stop shivering but he was freezing. He wondered how long he had been lying here. He attempted to take in enough breath to yell for help, but he could not. He listened and could not hear anything except what sounded like large machinery somewhere. Mac knew it had been bad. He thought that tornado must have been as bad as the one that had come through the other town. He thought of Jane and wondered if she was okay. He had no way of knowing or finding out. He knew she must be worried about him.

The next thing Mac knew, it was daylight. He was still freezing. He knew that cold front had moved through and cooled the weather off. He was still wet and shivering and he felt like things were sticking him. He looked around him and realized he was surrounded by trees and there was even a red pickup sitting close to him that looked like it had been rolled a few times. Mac thought it looked like an Avalanche. He remembered that there was a car dealership not far from the hotel and another small place with a bunch of cars. There was all sorts of debris lying around there, from pressed wood sheets, lumber to tires and cars. Mac realized that what was lying on top of him was a grave stone. He remembered that there was a monument company out there. He looked toward his left arm, which was under another grave stone. He could not budge it. He looked to his right and there was nothing to see that way except a bunch of debris. He thought he could see a train in the distance however.

Suddenly, Mac heard a cell phone start ringing. He gasped and looked around for it. It was above his head. He reached with his right hand and finally found it. His hand was shaking so that he could barely press "talk". He finally pressed it. "Hello," he answered.

"Pam!" a man said. "Is that you!"

"No," Mac said. "I'm Mac Taylor. This phone was lying here beside me. Please help me."

"Where are you?"

Mac looked around him. "I don't know," he said. "I'm not from this town."

"Can you see anything?"

Mac looked to his right. "I see a train car," he said.

"Oh, you're near the railroad?"

"I was at the hotel out here on the West side of town."

"I know where you are. Can you move?"

"No. There's a gravestone lying on top of me," Mac said. "Please help me."

"Just hang on. I have to hang up to call for some help. I'll call you back."

"Don't leave me here."

"I won't. I promise."

Mac heard when the call ended. He felt so alone he wanted to panic. There was no one here and nothing around except debris. He looked at the phone and dialed Jane's phone number. He listened as the phone rang. He thought they must have fixed the communications. "Hello," Jane answered.

Mac wanted to sob. "Jane," he said.

Jane was silent for a moment, unbelieving. "Who is this?" she asked not wanting to get her hopes up.

"It's me. It's Mac."

Jane gasped and burst into tears. "Mac! Where are you?" she asked.

"I don't know."

"Oh, Mac. Tell me what you see!"

"I talked to someone who was calling someone on this phone. It was lying here beside me."

Jane was sobbing. "Mac, are you hurt bad?" she asked.

"I don't know. I can't feel my left arm. There's a gravestone lying on top of me and…I'm naked. I'm freezing."

"My mother is calling for help. We will find you."

"I feel like all my skin has been peeled off."

Jane wanted to comfort him, but she did not know how. "Don't you worry. We are going to find you."

"I'm so cold. My throat is sore."

Jane could hear Mac's breathing. "You hold on, Mac. They will find you. We got in touch with someone. They are going to be coming that way soon. Tell me what you can see around you."

Mac looked around him. "I'm so sleepy," he said.

Jane knew he must be almost hypothermic. "Mac, just look around you and tell me what you see."

Mac looked up and to his left. "There are a lot of trees down around me and there's a red Avalanche here," he said. "I can see a water tower. It's blue and white. To my right I can see a train. I think it's off the track. It must be that concrete overpass."

Jane was relaying the message to the rescue workers. They were searching for people in a helicopter so they were going that way…

Mac could hear a helicopter in the distance. He thought he would fall asleep again. "Hang in there, Mac," Jane said. "Don't give up. What else do you see around you?" She was trying to keep him thinking.

Mac felt like he was hearing her in a barrel. "I don't see any clouds," he said. "I see trees. They're all destroyed."

"Yes. That's typical with the storm we had."

Mac felt like he could not get enough air in to keep talking. "Mac!" Jane said. "Mac! Don't fall asleep!"

"I'm tired," Mac said. He could hear the helicopter closer now. "I hear a helicopter."

"They're looking for you. Can you wave at them?"

"No."

As Mac was lying there looking up, the helicopter came right over him and hovered. Then he watched as it moved away. "Come back," Mac said. "Come back."

"They see you!" Jane told him. "They're going to land and come to you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. They saw you."

Mac dropped the phone. He could not stay awake any longer. "Mac!" Jane said.

When Mac woke up again, he was not sure where he was, but he was not cold anymore. He looked around the room and realized he was in Jane's bedroom, but he had an IV in his arm and had an oxygen mask on. Just then, Jane came into the room. She smiled when she saw that he was awake. "How do you feel?" she asked.

Mac considered that. "Why am I here?" he asked.

"Well, the hospital was destroyed and I told them that you could stay here. The doctors around here are going and making house calls for the people who are well enough to be at home."

Mac looked at his left arm which was in a cast. "I don't remember being rescued," he said.

"Well, your arm was in very bad shape," Jane said. "The bone was coming through the skin. They spent half the night picking glass and nails out of you."

"No wonder I felt like a pin cushion."

"They don't know if they got all the glass or not."

"How long have I been here?"

"Since yesterday. You've been sleeping."

Mac frowned. "You should have sent me somewhere else," he said. "I've been taking your bed."

"Nonsense. I wouldn't send you away."

"How often does the doctor come?"

"He came this morning and a nurse will come by this evening and they'll teach me how to take care of your IV's if something happens during the night. It's the best we can do right now with no hospital and the hospitals around are full because of all this. There have been several places that were hit."

Mac sighed. "I don't know what I'm going to do now. I was supposed to be back at work…actually, I was supposed to be there today." He rubbed his forehead. "I need to call and tell them what is going on."

Jane got her phone and gave it to Mac. "You can call. They've restored communications," she said.

Mac took the phone and called the office in New York…

Jo answered the phone, "Crime Lab, this is Jo."

"Jo, this is Mac."

"Mac, where are you? We heard about what happened down there. Are you okay?"

"No, but I will be. I don't know when I'll be able to get out of here."

"Mac, what happened?"

"It's a long story. I have a broken arm and a lot of bruises and I was a pin cushion for a while, but I'll be fine."

"Okay, Mac. I'll let the chief know that you're alright."

"Let him know that I can't get home right now."

"Be careful and get well."

"Don't worry about me. I have a good nurse here."

"Okay."

Mac ended the call and gave the phone to Jane. He was feeling sleepy again. "I guess I'll get to spend more time with you," he said.

"Great," Jane said. She touched his face. "I'm so glad you're…"

Mac nodded. "Me too," he said. "I want to know you better."

"I wish we never had to be apart again."

"I hope it will come to that."

A few days later, Mac was up. He was sore all over and still kinda felt like a pin cushion, but he could walk around now. His back hurt terribly, his neck was in a brace and his arm was still in a cast of course. He had micro-fractures all up and down his backbone, but they would heal over time. He looked in the mirror and could see all the places where glass and debris had cut and punctured him. He had been lucky that he did not get an eye poked out.

Mac sat down in the swing on Jane's front porch and looked out across the field. He was not very comfortable sitting or lying down, but he could not stand up all the time. The storm had not been as bad as he had thought. Thankfully the tornado had not lasted very long and had lifted after it got into the edge of town, although it had destroyed some stuff. It had knocked down a lot of trees and destroyed some old buildings that no longer had businesses in them, but it had also destroyed some homes and businesses and damaged many more and injured some people. There were only 5 casualties however. Mac was glad of that.

Jane came outside and sat down beside him. "How do you feel?" she asked.

"Sore," Mac answered. "Very sore, but I'll be okay."

Jane looked at him and stroked his hair. "I don't know what I would have done if you had died," she said with tears in her eyes.

"Don't worry about that," Mac said. "I'm still here. I'm not going anywhere." He turned his head slightly to look at her. Even that little movement hurt.

They kissed each other and then Jane leaned on his shoulder. "What do you think would have happened if we had not been interrupted?" she asked.

Mac looked across the field. "Maybe something that we weren't ready for?" he said.

Jane nodded. "That was feeling good."

"Too good."

"I miss being married."

"Me too. Someone to come home to every night and make love to. I hate sleeping alone. I think that's why I've tried so long to work all the time and not go home. I dread being there alone and I'm not one to just take anyone home with me…if you know what I mean."

"Yes. You don't want a play thing, you want love."

"Right. Sex is not something that I take lightly."

"Me neither."

They looked at each other. "I'm glad we didn't get any further," Mac said. "Not that I don't want to."

Jane nodded. "I understand because I feel the same way," she said.

Mac looked at his broken arm. "Were you there when they were fixing my arm?" he asked.

"No. They told me what had happened to you after I convinced them that I was the only person around here who knows you."

"I don't know where my clothes went. I guess that thing just stripped them off."

"I guess. I've heard of that before." Jane sighed. "I hope there will not be anymore storms, but we have a possibility."

Mac frowned. "I hope we don't have anymore."

"Don't worry. If we see any coming, we will get in the storm house before they get here. You're staying here until you go back to New York."

"I wonder when that will be. When am I ever going to be able to go back?"

"I don't know, but I love having you here."

"Oh, I am glad I'm here, but I wish I was here in a different way."

"I know. Are you comfortable?"

"No, but I'm not comfortable sitting, lying down or standing," Mac said. "I guess it doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. You want something for pain? The doctor left you something if you need it."

"I don't like pain medicine."

"It's better than suffering like that."

Mac sighed. "Okay, I guess I will take some."

Jane stood up. "Do you want to come inside?" she asked.

"Not yet. I like sitting here."

"Okay. I'll be back and I'll bring a pillow for you to sit on."

"I'm not sure that will help, but I'll try it."

Jane went into the house and Mac looked out across the field across from the house. He wondered what it would be like to live somewhere like this where there were not so many people and it was quiet. There was not much traffic on this road that Jane lived on. Mac wondered how long it would take him to get used to not hearing sounds all the time. New York was very noisy and when one lived there, even if they lived up on the tenth floor, they still heard a lot of noise. Mac supposed that was why people wanted to live up on the top of buildings is so they would not hear so much of the noise of the city. He did not hear a whole lot of noise in his apartment. He definitely did not have a view like what he was looking at now. All he could see when he looked out the window of his apartment was the next building. He remembered Stella catching him watching his neighbors. He had not seen Stella in a long time. She lived in New Orleans now. He had not been far from there when he went down to that town in Louisiana. He should have stopped over there to see her, but he had wanted to come here and see Jane and he could not do both.

Jane came out with a bottle of water and the pain medication. Mac looked at the bottle. "I hate this stuff, but I suppose it will be better than this pain," he said.

"I suppose."

Mac took one of the pills and then they sat there in the swing. Jane had the baby monitor with her so she could hear if the baby woke up and Brian was at school. He did not go to school in the same town that was victim to the storm. "Is it always this quiet?" Mac asked.

"Well most of the time," Jane replied. "When the children are playing, it's not so quiet."

Mac smiled. "They're beautiful children."

"Yes."

Mac wondered if he should ask her about her husband. "What was your husband like?" he asked.

"He loved me and the kids. He wasn't a very good business man, but he did everything he could."

Mac wished he felt better. "I don't want to be too nosey or bring up painful memories to you," he said.

"That's okay. You have a right to know things."

"I know it's difficult to share with someone after something like that."

"Yes, but I want to. I think it is important to do that."

"I never could do anything for about five years. It took me that long to really let anyone in and that was a big mistake."

"Did you love her?"

"I thought I did but she just hurt me."

"She must have been crazy."

Mac frowned. "Maybe she made the right decision. It would have never worked because we lived too far apart."

Jane frowned and looked at Mac. "Are you saying we live too far apart?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. He started to say 'no', but he stopped himself and thought about it. "Well, she and I lived in different countries. She was from England."

"Oh," Jane said. She looked down at the porch. "So, what about me?"

"Jane, I didn't mean that we live too far apart."

"But we do, don't we?"

Mac swallowed. "No. I don't want you to give up on me."

Jane looked at him. She could see the sincerity in his eyes. "I guess it's a good thing we got interrupted that night or this would be even more difficult," she said.

"What?" Mac asked feeling his heart breaking.

"You know it won't work. You don't want to leave New York."

"Jane, I…"

Jane had tears in her eyes. "I'm glad I got to know you."

"Don't do this to me. Give me a chance."

"I don't think I'm ready."

Mac brushed a tear from her face. "I'll wait till you are," he said.

Jane looked at him. She could see she was hurting him, but she was afraid to go on with the relationship because it would be harder later than now. "Mac, I think there must be someone out there who has more in common with you and would know how to live in a big metropolis like New York," she said. "I don't think I can do that."

"Jane, please. I don't have plans to stay in New York forever. I want to…"

Jane put her fingers on his lips. "Mac, you can't leave New York because of me," she said. "You would never be happy."

"Don't do this to me. Give me a chance to make up my own mind. I love you."

Mac looked into her eyes. "Can you tell me that you don't love me?" he asked.

Jane was crying now. "No, I can't," she admitted. "I just don't want to go through this later."

"Jane, I am not going to give up anything that I love. I have been thinking of leaving New York and then I met you. Let me decide that."

"But you don't want to live here, Mac," Jane said.

"How do you know? Jane, we haven't decided to get married or anything and maybe we would want to move somewhere together and start a life together."

"What if I didn't want to live here?"

Mac frowned. "You've made up your mind, haven't you?" he asked.

Jane was crying. "I think it's the only choice," she said.

"Why?" Mac turned her face toward him. "Tell me why."

"I don't think I'm ready for this."

"I know how you feel, but I'm not rushing you, Jane. I want to have time and I want you to take your time."

"How much time will that take? Are you willing to wait years?"

Mac sighed. He was starting to feel that pain medicine now. "I guess I'll go back to New York then," he said.

"You can stay here until you're well enough."

"I would rather not," Mac said. "I feel like an intruder."

"You're not an intruder. You're my friend."

"I wasn't exactly wanting to be just friends with you. If I wanted just a friend, I could have stayed in New York with Jo." Mac stood up slowly. "I want to go back home as soon as I can."

Jane stood up. "You don't have to do that," she said.

"Yes, I do. I can't stay here like this."

Mac walked into the house. He felt like his heart would turn in on itself. He almost fell as he was walking to the bedroom, but he managed to stay up. Jane came in behind him. "Mac, you don't have to leave like this," she said.

"Leave me alone," Mac said. He was hurt and he was not going to pretend that he did not care. "Just leave me alone. I will go home if I have to walk." He went into the room to get the few clothes that he had left. He looked at Jane. "Will you take me to the airport?"

Jane stared at him a moment with tears on her face but she nodded. "Yes, I'll take you," she said. "If that's what you want."

"It should be what you want if you don't want me," Mac said.

"You're not able to get on a plane and go all the way back to New York."

Mac felt like his knees would not hold him up. He was trembling inside and felt like he could not get enough breath. "I'll do it anyway. I sure won't stay here with you when we're breaking up," he said. He was trying to keep his voice calm, but he was in pain and upset. "I can't believe you're doing me this way." He stared at her a moment, seeing the tears on her face. "Why are you?"

"Because."

"Because is not an answer. Tell me why."

"It would be better to break up now than later."

"Why do you think we're going to break up at all? What happened?"

"I just don't think we can make this work. We come from different places. We're so different."

"Why does that matter? Differences are what make relationships better."

Jane was in a turmoil. She did not know what to do. She was afraid that if she went on with the relationship that she would just be hurt worse later on. She did not think it could work out no matter how much they loved each other and she was not sure that she would want to leave where she lived now. She had always wanted to live here and now that she did, she did not want to give it up to move to some big city. "I just don't think it will work," she said. "What if I wanted to live here and did not want to move?"

Mac stepped closer to her. "Is that what this is about?" he asked. "What if I want to leave New York and move here?"

"Would you really want to do that? You have a good job there."

"Jane, a job is not everything! I have been living with nothing but a job for ten years! I want something else even if I have to take up stakes and move!" Mac caressed her cheek and neck. "I need you. I want to live again and have someone to share things with. Why are you doing this to me?"

"I guess I'm scared."

"Scared of what?"

"I don't know. I'm just scared."

Mac knew what she meant. He had felt the same way the first time he went out on a date after Claire died. "You feel like you're cheating on your husband," he said. "You're afraid to be happy."

Jane covered her face and sobbed. Mac hugged her to him as best he could. "Don't push me away," he whispered. "I know how you feel."

Jane put her arms around him and sobbed on his shoulder. Mac stumbled slightly. "I'm sorry," he said. "My back is tired and I'm feeling that pain medicine."

"Let's sit down."

They sat down on the side of the bed. Mac grimaced as he sat down. "Just lie down," Jane suggested.

Mac did not argue. He just lay down even though he did not think that helped much. "Do you need anything?" Jane asked.

"I need you to trust me," Mac said. "Don't push me away, Jane."

"Don't worry about that right now."

"I can't keep from worrying about it." He looked at her. "Give me a chance."

"We'll talk about this later."

Jane left the room and Mac stared at the ceiling. He was sleepy now. He supposed he needed a nap. He could not believe this was happening. Why would she suddenly decide that she did not want to see him anymore? He wondered if he had some of his nightmares during the nights he had been here. He did not know it if he had any. He had been on that pain medicine and everything and he had been sleeping soundly, he supposed. If that was it, why did she not tell him about it? He could have talked to her about it. Maybe she thought he would not be a good father to the kids. He had tried to get to know them and had played with them in the yard and even played cars with Brian. He would gladly take on the responsibility of being their daddy. He sighed. He knew how she felt. A year after Claire died, he could not have accepted anyone else no matter how hard he had tried. He wore his wedding ring for almost four years after she died. He did not want anyone to think he was single and he did not want to explain his life to them. Now here he was trying to make Jane do that and he should understand her more than anyone else. His heart ached for her but if she did not want to accept him, he would have to give it up and go back to New York. He would not stay there anymore if he lost Jane. He would have nothing to look forward to. He would not stay there. He would go back to his sailboat and live in it. Maybe he would live over there in Los Angeles where his family was…but would he even be welcome there now? He was not sure his sister would want him around. He was tired. He had to get some rest and think about all this later…

That night, Mac woke up with his back hurting. He figured he had been lying on it too long. He turned over on his side and discovered that Jane was lying on the bed next to him. He was surprised but it was her bed. He touched her hair. He could get used to seeing her lying next to him every night. He moved closer to her and kissed her lightly. To his surprise, Jane put her arms around his neck, which caused him pain, but she kept the kiss going. "Oh, Tom," she whispered. "Make love to me."

Mac was shocked now. He thought she must be dreaming about her husband. He tried to roll away from her but she just climbed on top. Mac did not know what to do but he could not get past the pain in his back now. He tried to roll her off him but he could not…his back would not allow it. "Jane, I'm not in the mood," he whispered in her ear, hoping that would discourage her, but it did not. "Jane, wake up."

Mac realized she was not hearing him or she just was not paying any attention. "Jane, wake up," he whispered again. He finally rolled her off him and he thought that must have ended her dream. Mac lay back down and blew out a long breath. He thought he better leave tomorrow. He did not want to go through that again. He did not know what he would do if he could not stop her. With his back in this shape, he could not just get up. He had to work at getting up.

Just then, Jane turned over toward him and put her arm around him. He was afraid she would start that again, but she just rubbed his chest and snuggled close to him. Mac frowned. He knew what she was going through. He still dreamed about Claire. He put his arm around Jane and hugged her close to him. She sighed as she fell back into sleep. He wanted her to accept him, but how could he expect her to if she was still dreaming about her husband like that and still grieving. He hoped she would give him a chance and would not just give up on their relationship. He would give her time…

When Mac woke up the next morning, Jane was not on the bed. He still felt exhausted. He did not think he had rested very well last night. He remembered feeling pain, but he did not think he was awake. He remembered what Jane had done last night. He decided he would not mention that to her. She probably did not know about it anyway and he did not see any reason to embarrass her. He sighed as he thought of the argument they had yesterday. Would he just leave and never come back? He did not think he could do that. He knew she would change her mind eventually, but that did not mean that she would want him. He felt like his heart was constricted.

Just as Mac was about to get up to go to the bathroom, Jane came in with a tray for him. "I made your breakfast," she said.

"Thanks," Mac replied. He stood up. "I'll be right back."

Jane sat down on the bed and set the tray down. She was not sure what she wanted to do. She knew she should not have started anything with Mac because she had known from the beginning that she was not ready. Now, she would hurt him and he might never come back. He had said that he would give her time, but how much time? She was not sure how much time she needed. What if she was never ready?

Mac came from the bathroom and sat on the bed. He looked at the breakfast plate. "Looks good," he said and looked at Jane.

Jane knew what he was thinking. "I don't think I'm ready for this," she said. "I thought I could just ignore my feelings and try to go on with it and be happy again, but I can't."

"I know you need time. I want to give you time," Mac said. "Don't shut me out."

"Mac, what if you meet someone else up there in New York? You might want to stop waiting on me."

"What? Do you think I wouldn't be faithful to you? I would never do that to you."

"I'm not going to ask you to do that."

Mac moved closer to her. "There is no one else that I want! I want to be with you."

Jane folded her arms. "I can't do it."

"Can't do what?"

"You need a woman who can be what you need."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not ready to have sex with you, Mac."

Mac was surprised by that statement. "That doesn't matter." He held up his broken arm. "I don't think I'm ready to have sex right now either. My back is not exactly in a shape to be…doing that. Besides, when I said I want to 'be' with you…I didn't mean just that. I like going places with you and talking."

"I know what men want."

"Don't try to judge me by somebody else. I am my own person."

Mac thought of what she had done the night before. He could have taken advantage of that, but he did not. Jane stared at Mac. He took a bite of his breakfast. "You can stay here until you get well enough to travel," Jane said.

"I'm not staying," Mac replied. "If you don't want me, I'll go back to New York."

"I didn't say I didn't want you."

"What do you call it?"

"I call it uncertainty!"

They glared at each other. "Enjoy your breakfast!" Jane said and left the room.

Mac looked at the plate. He was not sure he wanted to eat now or that he even wanted to be in this house another minute. He looked around the room. He did not have any luggage now because it had been blown away with the rest of the hotel. He stood up and went into the living room where Jane was sitting on the couch. She wiped tears off her face. Mac put his hands on his hips. "You don't have to do this," he said. "I know what you're going through."

"Yes, but you're past this now and you're ready for a serious relationship."

"How do you know what I'm ready for? Have you forgotten what I've been through the last few months?"

"No, I haven't, but you wouldn't be here if you weren't ready."

Mac sighed. He thought he might as well give up, but his heart would not let him. "What can I say that will make you change your mind?" he asked.

"Nothing," Jane replied. "I know I'll probably regret this in the future and I'll want you back and you'll already have someone else, but I just don't want to go through this right now."

"What happened to courting? What's wrong with getting to be friends first? Why can't we do what we've been doing? I enjoy talking to you and getting text messages."

"That's not a relationship."

"Why don't you let me have a chance? Don't do this to me."

Jane looked at him a moment. "I'm not doing it to you," she declared. "I just don't want to be in this and you need to move on."

"Don't tell me what I need. You don't know the first thing about what I need."

Jane stood up. "You don't need me," she said. "And I don't need you."

Mac just stared at her a moment. "Fine," he said. "But I could have taken advantage of you last night! I just want you to know that! I have an idea about what 'you' need." He turned and went back to the bedroom. He got his extra clothes that he had left there and put them in a plastic bag and went back into the living room. "Have a nice life."

Mac went out the door. His back was hurting, but he went on anyway. The rental agency he had gotten the car from had provided him another since the one he had was in an unknown location now. Jane came out the door as Mac was getting into the car. He stared at her a moment. He hated to leave this way, but she was not giving him much choice. "I do love you," he said. He got on into the car. He blew out a breath and then headed out. He was not sure he could drive all the way to Memphis or not, but he supposed he would have to.

As Mac was driving, he felt more and more miserable. He would leave New York and go and live in his boat alone and work in Los Angeles for a while. Maybe he would become a drifting private investigator. He had to let his back heal first though. There was no way he could do what he wanted with his back hurting all the time. He supposed he could lie in his miserable apartment and be alone until he could go back to L.A. He did not know what Martha would think of him coming back over there, but he was certainly not going to stay with her. He was through with people. He would do what he wanted and just stay away from people…except for his job. He would do that. Since he was a detective, he would not have too much trouble getting a Private Investigator's license. He could go around the country and solve crimes for people.

Mac had to stop a few times on his way to walk around before he got to Memphis. By the time he got there, he could barely stand up but he went on and got a flight to New York. He hoped there would be no turbulence on this flight, but he did not have much hope of that. There was a hurricane on the East coast and it was even going toward New York. He had found out about that. It had been a long time since a hurricane came up there. There had been several that had come close and caused beach erosion and some flooding, but there had not been one in a long time that actually came into New York. Mac knew that storm surge would be bad when it got into the Bay. He knew there would be some flooding if that happened. If that hurricane was bad enough, the storm surge could cover some of those small islands. He was always amazed at how that hurricane came in with a "pile" of water because of the low pressure.

Mac went to the right gate and sat down to wait for his flight. He did not think he could sit here long. He dreaded sitting in that plane for three hours. He was sure he would have to get up and walk around, but he was not about to stay here another minute. He supposed his traveling was over until he left New York permanently…or at least temporarily. He thought he might go back some day. It was just another of many decisions he would have to make in the coming weeks…


End file.
